A. Animal Shelter: The Division of Animal Control shall provide suitable premises and facilities to be used as an animal shelter where impounded animals can be adequately kept and supplied with food and humane care. It shall provide for the painless and humane destruction of animals where necessary, or it may furnish medical treatment for impounded animals as provided hereinafter.
B. Animals Subject to Impoundment: The animal control officer shall take all animals which are taken into custody to the animal shelter to be impounded. The following animals may be impounded and taken into custody by the animal control officer without the filing of a complaint:
1. Any animal being kept or maintained contrary to the provisions of this chapter.
2. Any animal running at large contrary to the provisions of this chapter.
3. Any animal which is by this chapter required to be licensed and is not licensed; any animal not wearing a tag shall be presumed to be unlicensed for purposes of this section.
4. Any sick or injured animal whose owner cannot be located.
5. Any abandoned animal.
6. Animals which are not vaccinated for rabies in accordance with the requirements of this chapter.
7. Any animal to be held for quarantine.
8. Any vicious animal not properly confined.
9. Any animal not having proof of rabies which bites a person shall be impounded and quarantined for a period of not less than ten (10) days.
C. Notice; Time of Impoundment:
1. Notice of impoundment shall be emailed or mailed to the last known address of the owner of any animal which is wearing a license tag or other identification, or, if the impounded animal is not wearing a license tag or other identification, notice shall be given by the best available means under the circumstances. For animals voluntarily delivered or relinquished by the owner to the animal control facility, no further notice of any kind need be given to the owner.
2. Animals taken to the animal shelter shall be impounded for a minimum of five (5) days, excluding Sunday, except when:
(a) The animal is redeemed by the owner prior to the expiration of the five (5) day impound period upon payment by the owner of all impound fees, daily boarding fees, license fees, vaccination fees, and veterinary fees if applicable.
(b) The animal is humanely destroyed after a determination by the animal control officer and licensed veterinarian that the animal is suffering from a serious injury, illness or malnutrition and should be destroyed for humane reasons or to preserve the public health, safety and welfare, unless the animal is immediately redeemed by the owner.
3. Any impounded animal suffering from an injury, illness or other condition which, in the judgment of the animal control officer, requires minor veterinary treatment or care, may, with or without the consent of the owner, be taken to a veterinary hospital for any necessary treatment, the cost of which shall be paid by the owner as part of the cost of redemption, or, unless waived by the city, added to the cost of adoption.
4. Any impounded animal suffering from an injury, illness or other condition which, in the judgment of the animal control officer, requires extensive veterinary treatment or care, may:
(a) At the discretion of the animal control officer and with the owner's agreement, be taken for examination and treatment by a veterinarian, with the cost thereof to be paid by the owner as part of redemption; or,
(b) In the event the owner is not known or unwilling to give consent, the animal shall, at any time before or after the five (5) day impoundment period, be humanely destroyed.
5. Upon the expiration of the five (5) day impoundment period, all healthy impounded animals shall be adopted or otherwise disposed of as determined by the animal control officer, subject to payment of all impoundment fees, daily boarding fees, adoption fees, license fees, and vaccination fees, or as otherwise determined by the animal control officer.
D. Redemption of Impounded Animals:
(a) The impound fees.
(b) The daily boarding charge.
(c) Any veterinary costs incurred during the impound period, including rabies vaccination.
(d) License fees, if required.
E. Records Maintained: The impounding facility shall keep a record of each animal impounded and permanent impound records, which include the following information:
1. Complete description of the animal, including tag numbers.
2. The manner and date of impound.
3. The location of pick up and name of the person picking up the animal.
4. The manner and date of disposal.
5. The name and address of the redeemer or purchaser.
6. The name and address of any person relinquishing an animal to the impound facility.
7. All fees received.
8. All expenses accruing during impoundment. (Ord. 2024-15, 8-7-2024)