There is hereby created a city officer designated City Dog Warden, who will enforce this chapter pursuant to the rules and regulations of the City Council.
(A) (1) It shall be the duty of the Dog Warden to cause any of the following described dogs to be captured:
(a) Any dog which is more than six months of age, and, after June 15 of any year, on which the city tax has not been paid, or which does not have a collar of leather, iron, copper, brass, or other durable material to which shall be attached the license, check, and/or dog tag showing the aforementioned tax paid;
(b) Is running at large unaccompanied by its master, or owner or owner’s agent; or
(c) Is more than six months of age and has not been vaccinated against rabies in violation of I.C. 35-46-3-1.
(2) Any dog captured in accordance with this division (A) shall be kept or disposed of in the manner hereafter provided; however, the Dog Warden or other enforcement officer may immediately destroy, by the safest and most humane means available, any vicious, ferocious, or apparently rabid dog which, in his or her opinion, cannot be safely captured or held by reasonable and ordinary means.
(B) A dog taken into custody by the Dog Warden shall be disposed of as follows.
(1) The dog shall be held for a period of 20 days (or the minimum period then required) if the only cause for taking up the dog was failure to have a city tax tag, or shall be held for a period of five days if taken up for any other cause, and, subject to the provisions of division (C) below, the owner or other person may reclaim the dog upon payment to the city of the following fees, as applicable:
(a) A pick-up charge of $10 on the first occasion the dog has to be impounded, and $25 for each subsequent impoundment; and
(b) For the care and feeding of the dog, a charge of $2 per day or portion thereof, or a charge of $.25 per day (or the maximum per diem fee) if the only cause for taking up the dog was failure to have a city tax tag.
(2) However, if the owner of the dog is known and it is believed that the owner wishes to reclaim the dog but is prevented from doing so by unusual circumstances, the Dog Warden may keep the dog in custody for a longer period of time than provided above pending reclamation by the owner before further disposition is made.
(3) If the 20-day or five-day period, as applicable under division (B)(1) above, has expired and the dog has not been reclaimed, the Dog Warden may;
(a) Release the dog into the custody and possession of any person over 18 years of age who pays to the city the fees owing under division (B)(1) above;
(b) Sell the dog, the proceeds to be deposited in the General Fund for the benefit of the city; or
(c) Humanely destroy the dog, or authorize its destruction by the officials of any pound to which it has been delivered.
(C) No dog taken up hereunder may be released to its owner or keeper without the authorization of the Dog Warden, which shall only be given if:
(1) Evidence is given that the city tax has been paid, if owing;
(2) The dog is vaccinated against rabies by a qualified veterinarian, at the expense of the owner, if not previously vaccinated; and/or
(3) The fees required under division (B)(1) above are paid to the city.
(D) In addition to any liability for costs as herein provided, any owner, keeper, or harborer of a dog who permits his or her dog to be in violation of divisions (A)(1)(a), (A)(1)(b), or (A)(1)(c) above shall be liable for citation, prosecution, and penalties as provided by law for violation of the respective statutes therein indicated.
(1985 Code, § 4-4-1) (Ord. 2-1974, passed 7-9-1974; Ord. 7A-1984, passed - -1984) Penalty, see § 10.99