(A) Any sick or injured dog found by a peace or dog control officer off the premises of its owner shall be delivered to its owner. Any such dog for which the owner is either unknown or cannot be reached after reasonable attempts to do so shall be delivered by the dog control authority to a veterinarian for medical treatment. Upon delivery to a veterinarian, the following procedures shall apply.
(1) When the dog is unlicensed and the owner is unknown, the veterinarian shall determine whether the dog is so severely injured or incurably crippled that the humane thing to do would be to destroy the dog. If a determination is made to destroy the dog, the dog may be destroyed immediately. If the veterinarian determines instead that the dog should be given treatment, such treatment may be given; provided, however, that the dog may be destroyed if unclaimed by its owner within 72 hours after being delivered to the veterinarian.
(2) When the dog is licensed or the owner is known and cannot be reached, the veterinarian shall determine whether the dog is so severely injured or incurably crippled that the humane thing to do would be to destroy the dog. If a determination is made to destroy the dog, the dog may be destroyed immediately. If the veterinarian determines instead that the dog should be given treatment, such treatment may be given; provided, however, that the dog may be destroyed if unclaimed by its owner within 120 hours after being delivered to the veterinarian.
(B) Any peace officer or dog control officer may humanely destroy any dog too severely injured to move and not on the property of its owner, when the owner is either unknown or cannot be reached after reasonable attempts to do so.
(C) Arrangements for fees, selection of veterinarians, liability of veterinarians and the like shall be as determined by separate contracts between the dog control authority and individual veterinarians.
(D) The owner shall pay for any reasonable medical expenses incurred in accordance with this section.
(Prior Code, § 90.20) (Ord. 259, passed 5-8-1979)