(a) Impounded dogs, including those released from quarantine, shall be kept for 96 hours from the date of impoundment. If the owner of such impounded animal does not redeem it within 96 hours after impoundment, the disposition of the animals will be in accordance with § 6-45. The animal may be disposed of prior to the expiration of such time if, in the professional opinion of the director, disposition is necessary to avoid the unnecessary suffering of a sick or injured animal.
(b) Impounded animals not found to have a microchip, including those released from quarantine, shall have a microchip implanted in the animal by the animal care and control authority.
(c) Impounded animals may be sterilized by the animal care and control authority if the director determines that the animal has no microchip or tag and a veterinarian determines that sterilization is appropriate for the animal.
(d) Impounded and quarantine released domestic animals shall be available for immediate redemption to their owner upon presenting photo identification, of which the city shall keep a copy, and paying all applicable fees.
(e) Impounded prohibited animals shall be available for immediate redemption by the owner after presenting photo identification, of which the city shall keep a copy, and after paying all applicable fees and signing an agreement with the city stipulating that the owner
(1) Shall, within 72 hours, lawfully remove from the city limits the prohibited animal and shall not allow the prohibited animal to return to the city; and
(2) Consents to the city humanely destroying the prohibited animal if the animal is found within the city limits. If the owner of a prohibited animal fails to comply with this subsection (d), the prohibited animal may be either euthanized or removed from the city as determined by the animal care and control authority. The owner of a prohibited animal shall pay to the city the applicable fees and costs of impoundment and handling.
(f) Amounts of the "applicable fees" are established by the city council. Types of "applicable fees" which must be paid by the animal owner to reclaim impounded or quarantined animals shall be determined in accordance with this subsection (f).
(1) An impoundment and boarding charge will be charged for all reclaimed animals. This charge shall take into account and reflect the species of the animal in question and whether such animal is a prohibited animal, is currently vaccinated against rabies, or is microchipped, or spayed or neutered.
(2) The impoundment and boarding charge shall also reflect whether the animal required quarantine. This charge will also reflect, apart from any quarantine issue, whether the animal could be housed with one or more others or required its own cage due to size or temperament. This charge shall also take into account and reflect the number of times that any dog or cat belonging to the same owner has been impounded at the animal care and control center within the preceding 12 months, for whatever reason. In each instance, the factors affecting the amount of the impoundment and boarding charge shall be itemized in the invoice provided to an owner at the time the animal is reclaimed.
(3) A microchip implantation fee will be charged if the impounded or quarantined animal does not have microchip or other approved identification as provided by this chapter prior to being impounded or quarantined.
(4) For any animal released pursuant to a sterilization and vaccination agreement, a deposit may be charged in an amount established annually by the city council. If an owner fails to provide proof to the animal care and control authority from a veterinarian that each animal subject to such agreement was sterilized and vaccinated within 30 days from the date the animal was reclaimed, the amount of such deposit shall be forfeited and used to defray costs associated with additional staff time required to ensure that each animal in question was sterilized and vaccinated.
(5) An impoundment and boarding charge will be made for every day and any part of a day that the animal is in the custody of the animal care and control center.
(6) Where an owner cannot provide proof to the animal care and control authority at the time of release from impoundment that the impounded animal is currently vaccinated against rabies, then a charge for the legally required vaccination will be made and a voucher provided to the owner to receive vaccination services from a veterinarian.
(7) A schedule of the current "applicable fees" for reclaiming impounded or quarantined animals is available for review at the animal care and control center.
(8) It is not a defense to prosecution of any citations that applicable impoundment, bite, boarding, vaccination, microchip or license fees have been paid.
(9) Based on the criteria established in the policy approved by the director, the director can waive or reduce fees for impoundment and boarding charges based upon the owners existing or agreed compliance with this chapter, or after the owners participation in the animal care and control authority's responsible pet ownership class, volunteer or community service programs.
(Ord. 23295-06-2018, § 1, passed 6-26-2018, eff. 7-6-2018)