(A) Impoundment of dogs.
(1) Any dog found in the city in violation of any of the provisions of this chapter shall be impounded by any police officer of the city or by any person appointed by the Governing Body of the city as its agent and employee for that purpose and placed in the city animal pound or other suitable place provided by the city for that purpose. The Chief of Police or any officer of the Police Department or the Animal Control Officer appointed by the Governing Body shall, within 24 hours following the impounding of such dog, notify the owner of the animal's having been impounded and of its confinement in the custody of the city. If the owner of the animal is unknown, the police officer shall post written notice in the City Finance Office, describing the animal and stating a time and place where the animal was apprehended, and how the same may be recovered by the owner.
(2) Unless the dog is recovered and all charges paid for its upkeep by the owner or person having charge thereof, and unless the dog is registered and licensed as provided by this code, it shall be destroyed or disposed of in the most humane manner possible after the expiration of 4 days from the time when notice is posted stating that the dog was apprehended and impounded; provided, however, that any dog which has been diagnosed by a licensed veterinarian to be suffering from rabies or any dangerous contagious disease, the animal shall be immediately destroyed.
(3) The Chief of Police or any Animal Control Officer appointed by the Governing Body shall collect a sum to be determined by the City Council for each dog impounded and the additional sum per day, for keeping any dog which has been apprehended or impounded, and the officer shall not release any dog until the charges have been paid, and until the dog has been duly registered and licensed, if need be, as provided by this title.
(Prior Code, § 6.08.110)
(B) Impoundment of cats.
(1) Authority to catch and impound. The city police officer or an Animal Control Officer of the city is authorized, upon complaint of a resident of said city, to catch upon the property of the complainant, such cats as may be causing a nuisance thereon and impound the cats in a suitable place for the care of the animal.
(2) Impoundment, notice and disposal authority for identified cats. Upon impoundment of a cat with identification, the Animal Control Officer shall, within 24 hours of the impoundment, notify the owner of the cat's impoundment, how the cat may be recovered, and that it must be picked up within 4 days or the cat will be disposed of or destroyed in the most humane way possible.
(3) Impoundment notice and disposal authority for unclaimed cats. Upon impoundment of a cat without identification, the Animal Control Officer shall post a written notice at the city finance office describing the cat and stating the approximate time and place where the cat was apprehended, and how the same may be recovered by owner. Unless recovered by the owner, the cat may be sold or destroyed in the most humane manner possible after the expiration of 4 days from the time when notice of apprehension and impoundment was given or posted.
(4) Fees for keeping impounded cats. The Chief of Police or any Animal Control Officer appointed by the Governing Body shall collect a sum to be determined by the City Council for each cat impounded and the additional sum per day, for keeping any cat which has been apprehended or impounded, and the officer shall not release any cat until such charges have been paid, and until the cat has been duly registered and licensed.
(5) Cats with contagious diseases. Any cat which has been diagnosed by a licensed veterinarian to be suffering from rabies or a dangerous contagious disease shall not be released, but may be destroyed forthwith or otherwise held or disposed of according to the recommendation of the veterinarian.
(Prior Code, § 6.08.120)
(Ord. 111, passed - -1993)