A. An animal control officer, or any other city officer or employee:
1. Is authorized to trap or impound any animal observed to be in violation of any of the provisions of this part, or for humane reasons pursuant to section 4-606 of this part.
2. May enter upon the premises of the owner or other private premises to take such animal into custody.
B. Any other person who finds an animal on his/her property to his/her injury or annoyance may, in a humane manner, trap or take an animal running at large within the city limits into custody and present it to the authority in charge of the animal shelter or its authorized agent for impounding.
C. When an animal is so trapped or impounded, it shall be humanely kept and treated, and may be redeemed and disposed of, as other impounded animals are kept, treated, and redeemed or disposed of. A description of the animal shall be kept and if the owner is known, the city shall make reasonable attempts to notify the owner of the impoundment orally or in writing. If the animal is tagged but contact cannot be made with the owner, an attempt will be made to determine if the registered owner has moved and to ascertain the current address from utility billing records and/or local veterinarian records.
D. In any prosecution charging a violation of any part of this section proof that the animal described in the complaint was at large as defined herein and that the defendant named in the complaint was the owner of the animal shall constitute in evidence a prima facie presumption that the owner permitted his animal to be at large in violation of this part. (Ord. 1510, 8-8-2000)
Notes
| 1 | 1. 4 OS §§ 501 - 508. |