(A) The Animal Control Officer shall be charged with the responsibility of:
(1) Enforcing, in the county, all state and county laws, ordinances and resolutions relating to the care, custody and control of animals;
(2) Cooperating with the Health Director and assisting in the enforcement of the laws of the state with regard to animals, and especially with regard to vaccination of animals against rabies and confinement or leashing of vicious animals;
(3) Investigating cruelty or animal abuse complaints;
(4) Making canvasses of the county, including the homes in the county, as the Animal Control Advisory Committee deems necessary for the purposes of ascertaining that all animals are duly tagged and vaccinated against rabies as required by local ordinance or state statute;
(5) Operating, pursuant to policies of the Board of County Commissioners, the County Animal Shelter;
(6) Acting as the County Rabies Inspector;
(7) Assisting persons suffering personal injury or sustaining property damage from dogs in violation of this chapter;
(8) Investigating potentially vicious or dangerous animals or vicious or dangerous animals following a complaint or other information received by the Animal Control Office;
(9) Declaring after an investigation that an animal is a potentially vicious or dangerous animal or a vicious or dangerous animal; and
(10) Notifying owners or keepers of potentially vicious or dangerous animals or vicious or dangerous animals of additional requirements or precautions to be taken.
(B) It shall be the duty of the Animal Control Officer to keep, or cause to be kept, accurate and detailed records of:
(1) Impoundment and disposition of all animals coming into the Animal Shelter or shelters;
(2) Bite cases, violations and complaints and investigation of same;
(3) All monies belonging to the county which were derived from redemption fees, shelter fees, penalties, tags and sales of animals;
(4) All other records deemed necessary by the Board of County Commissioners; and
(5) Records of investigations required by this chapter.
(Prior Code, § 1.60)
Statutory reference:
County authority to appoint Animal Control Officers, see G.S. § 67-30