(A) Unrestrained dogs, cats and other nuisance animals may be taken by a town police officer or other designated person and impounded in an animal shelter and there confined in a humane manner. Further, the town may from time to time contract with outside persons, business entities or other local governmental entities the right to enforce the control of nuisance animals within the town through seizure, impoundment and euthanasia of the animals.
(B) If, by a license tag or other means, means the owner of an impounded animal can be identified, the police officer or other designated person or entity shall upon impoundment notify the owner by telephone or certified mail.
(C) Once an animal has been impounded, the owner of said animal may redeem the animal upon showing proof of all usual and standard vaccinations and receipts of payments of all and any other documentation as required by an outside person, local governmental entity or business entity in the event that the town has entered into an agreement for the impoundment of animals.
(1) All costs of impounding the animal shall be paid directly to the person, local governmental entity or business entity in the event that the town has contracted for said impoundment services.
(2) Animals impounded under any section of this chapter shall be released only upon the approval of, and the sole discretion of a town police officer, upon his or her determination that the animal is not a health or safety threat to other animals or citizens of the town and that all fees above provided for are paid. In the event that the town has contracted without outside persons, local governmental entities or business entities for impoundment services, that outside person, local governmental entity or business entity shall have the sole digression as to releasing the animal to the owner upon his or her determination that the animal is not a health or safety threat to other animals or citizens of the town.
(3) The decision made as to the release of the animal shall be binding and final.
(D) In addition to cost of the impoundment, the owner may be subject to other costs, expenses and fines defined as made otherwise set out within this chapter as related to the nuisance animal.
(Ord. 11-08, passed 9-12-2011; Ord. 2013-04, passed 3-18-2013) Penalty, see § 90.99