(A) No person shall abandon an owned animal. ABANDONMENT consists of leaving an animal for a period in excess of 24 hours, without providing and checking on the animal’s condition, or failure to contact the animal shelter, if a request to contact is left on the property where the animal is.
(B) No person shall leave an animal by a roadside or other area, or leave such animal on either public or private property, without the property owner’s consent.
(1) In the event that an animal is found so abandoned, such animal may be taken by an animal control officer and impounded at the animal shelter, and there confined in a humane manner. Such animal, if taken from private property, shall be kept for not less than the prescribed period in accordance with the procedures set forth in § 93.035.
(2) When a caretaker is mandated by the owner of such and the animal is so abandoned, the caretaker may be subject to a citation for violation of this section and all fees as defined in this chapter.
(C) An animal control officer is authorized to impound any animal if the animal control officer deems that the condition of the animal requires immediate care or veterinary treatment and/or upon finding reasonable suspicion of abandonment, and/or believe the animal needs to be removed for humane reasons. The animal control officer is authorized to go on and about private property to investigate any abandonment to establish, or not, reasonable suspicion of abandonment.
(Ord. 2015-14, passed 12-1-2015) Penalty, see § 93.999