Animal control officer(s) will be available during the hours the shelter is open to the public. In addition, animal control will respond at any time, day or night, to emergency calls from the hospital reporting animal bites and from law enforcement officers reporting injured animals, dangerous/vicious animals, and situations needing special services from those trained to care for animals. Calls of a nonemergency nature received outside business hours will be acknowledged as soon as the shelter opens.
A. Competent Personnel: Every effort should be made to appoint competent, reliable persons to enforce the provisions of this chapter. Such persons shall be trained as to their responsibilities in animal control and in the use of such equipment as shall be deemed necessary to carry out their duties.
B. Safety Precautions: All persons dealing with animals should have the proper protective gear (heavy gloves, catch loops, etc.) and be trained in the use of such equipment as shall be deemed necessary to carry out their duties. Self-protection comes first. Protective devices and equipment should be readily available both in the shelter and all vehicles used in animal control. Second in importance is concern for and attention to the well being and health of both animals and citizens.
C. Citations: Animal control officers shall be authorized by the city to issue warnings and citations to keepers and other persons in violation of any provision of this chapter.
1. Complaint: Complaints alleging any violation of this chapter must be filed with the animal control officer or the shelter by a person who has personal knowledge of such violation and who can identify the keeper of the animal involved or the premises where the animal is located. The complainant may be required to provide his name and address and affirm the complaint.
2. Complaint Follow Up: The investigating animal control officer will notify the keeper of the animals that a complaint has been filed. When violations warrant it, a written report with name, address, and details of the offense will be prepared to issue a citation for the offense or to file a complaint through the courts. A copy will be sent to the offender.
3. Concealment: It shall be unlawful for any person to conceal any animal or otherwise interfere with the animal control officer while carrying out his/her designated duties.
4. Impoundment: Animal control officers must bring animals for impounding to the shelter. Outside shelter office hours, the animals are to be put in the drop pens provided. Dead animals for disposal are to be taken directly to the approved site provided by the city. Officers must submit a report on each animal handled with all information known (i.e., any tags attached, description of the animal, name of owner if known, location of pick up, etc.).
D. Authorized Entry Of Premises:
1. For the purpose of discharging their duties imposed by this chapter, the animal control officer is hereby authorized and directed to enter upon any premises after having received a complaint, for the purpose of inspecting to ascertain if any provisions of this chapter or any laws of the state of New Mexico relating to the care, treatment, control and prevention of cruelty to animals are being violated.
2. An animal control officer who personally views a "violation" may enter a vehicle or premises without a complaint having been received. A full report will be filed of the circumstances.
3. If, however, the owner or occupant of any dwelling objects to inspection, as above stated, a warrant will be obtained from a court of qualified jurisdiction prior to inspection.
E. Emergency Measures: Any animal control officer discovering a violation of this chapter which endangers an animal is authorized to take emergency measures and/or otherwise remove the animal, at the owner's expense, until the violation is corrected or resolved to prevent further suffering of or cruelty to the animal.
F. Dog Bites: When notified of a biting dog incident, animal control officers interview victims and law officer(s) in charge; attempt to identify the owner; and remain at the hospital until the investigation is complete. When necessary, the animal(s) is taken into custody for isolation and quarantine. If taken to the animal shelter a copy of the report should be on file there. (See subsection 6-2-10F of this chapter.)
G. Emergency Calls: Emergencies include vicious animals in threatening situations, dogfights in progress, dog bites, animals being actively abused, injured animals whose owner is unknown and when vehicle accidents involve animals that must be taken to the shelter. Dial 911 calls without name, address, phone number and location of the emergency may be ignored.
H. Nonemergency: Nonemergency calls include animal pick ups, strays, nuisance barking, and dead animals that are not obstructing traffic. When two (2) or more reports of the same violation, such as animals in packs, are received, animal control will set up special patrols to remedy the problem. Calls without name, address, and phone number will be ignored. Law officers on duty and citizens are asked to move dead animals off roadways. These calls may be made to the shelter or through central dispatch.
I. Patrol: Animal control is to patrol the streets of Deming on a regular basis with a focus on different areas daily. Neighborhoods that have a large number of dogs and many complaints are regularly checked. During the longer summer days there is a need for extra patrols in early morning and later evening. Any time an ACO vehicle is away from the shelter, the driver is considered on patrol and available to take calls.
J. Destruction: The animal control officer may authorize the immediate destruction of any threatening animal that cannot be caught and/or may be subject to quarantine in the event that it is necessary to protect the life or safety of any person or animal. (Ord. 1067, 9-9-2002)