Disposition of animals in Animal Services custody will be as follows:
(A) Stray animals will be held for a period of 96 hours to allow owners to reclaim the animals pursuant to N.C.G.S. § 19A-32.1, Minimum holding period for animals in animal shelters; public viewing of animals in animal shelters; disposition of animals.
(1) Cats deemed to be feral by the Animal Services Director or designee will be held for a period of 72 hours. For the purposes of this section, feral shall mean a cat that has escaped from a domestic or captive status and is living as a wild animal or a cat which was never domesticated.
(B) Animals can be reclaimed by owners for fees in accordance with the fee schedule. The owner of an impounded animal shall be entitled to redeem such animal, except as provided in this chapter, upon the payment of all redemption fees as provided in § 92.99 below, and upon furnishing proof of ownership. Animals cannot be reclaimed without proof of a current rabies vaccine, or a rabies vaccine given by Animal Services Certified Rabies Vaccinators (CRVs).
(1) In addition to this, dogs will need to wear rabies vaccination tags upon reclaim pursuant to N.C.G.S. § 130A-190, Rabies vaccination tags.
(C) If not reclaimed after 96 hours stray animals will be made available for the additional outcomes of: adoption, transfer to a rescue group, or euthanasia per N.C.G.S. § 19A-32.1.
(D) Owner surrendered animals with proof of ownership will be made available for disposition by the Director of Animal Services or designee after a period of 24 hours.
(E) Nothing in this section shall prevent an animal that is seriously ill or injured from being euthanized for humane reasons prior to end of stray hold per N.C.G.S. § 19A-32.1.
(Ord. passed 6-21-2021)