Loading...
(Amended by Ord. No. 150,337, Eff. 1/1/78.)
No person shall stake out, herd or graze any animal in or upon the bed of the Los Angeles River unless such animal is under the immediate control of some person over the age of fifteen (15) years who is at all times within fifty (50) feet of the animal. Any horse, mule, ass or ox which is harnessed or saddled, at the time, in the actual custody and control of some person is exempted from the operation of this section.
(a) (Amended by Ord. No. 133,983, Eff. 4/10/67.) Any person finding at any time any stray domestic animal or any such animal found running at large contrary to the provisions of this article may take up such animal; provided, however, that persons taking up such animal shall, within four hours thereafter, or within two hours thereafter if such animal is attached or hitched to a vehicle, give notice to the Department or to some police officer, of the fact that the person has such animal in their possession, and shall furnish thereto a description of such animal and a statement of the place where the person found and where the person has confined the animal.
In case such notice is given to any police officer, such officer shall immediately notify the Department and shall furnish all the information which has been obtained regarding such animal.
If the taking up of such animal occurs at a time when the Public Pound is not open for the transaction of business, the notice required herein shall be made to the Department within the time herein required after such pound is again open for business.
(b) Any person taking up any such stray animal found running at large or contrary to the provisions of this article shall surrender such animal to the General Manager of the Department or the General Manager’s duly authorized representative upon demand thereof.
(c) No person taking up any animal shall fail or neglect to give notice thereof as required by this section or fail or refuse to surrender such animal to the General Manager or the General Manager’s duly authorized representative upon demand therefor.
(d) If the animal is a stray dog that is not wearing a license tag or a stray cat, and the person finding the animal wishes to provide the animal with home care, the person shall comply with the following within the first four hours of finding the animal: (Added by Ord. No. 186,287, Eff. 10/8/19.)
1. Notify the nearest City animal shelter that the animal is in their possession and provide a description of the animal, the location where the animal was found, the location where the animal will be maintained, as well as the person’s name, address, and contact information.
2. Note and maintain the animal ID number from the Department to be used in all future communications.
3. Provide two or more photographs (of different poses and at least one head shot) of the animal to the Department suitable for posting on the Department’s website.
4. Transport the animal to a veterinarian or to the nearest animal shelter if the animal requires timely medical care.
(e) Within the first 24 hours of finding the animal, the person finding the stray dog or cat shall comply with the following: (Added by Ord. No. 186,287, Eff. 10/8/19.)
1. Transport the animal to one of the City animal shelters for a microchip scan and veterinary care, or bring the animal to a licensed California veterinarian at the finder’s own expense for a microchip scan and veterinary care.
2. Provide the Department with a record of the microchip scan and the veterinarian’s diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis.
3. Make and distribute posters with the animal’s photo in a two-block radius of the location where the animal was found and include the finder’s contact information.
4. Complete the Department’s form foster care agreement and submit it to the Department in person, by fax, or electronically. The Department’s form foster care agreement shall include an agreement by the person to accept all legal and financial liability for the animal.
(f) In addition to the requirements in Subsections (d) and (e) above, the person finding the stray dog or cat shall comply with the following: (Added by Ord. No. 186,287, Eff. 10/8/19.)
1. Agree to maintain the animal at the identified location and notify the Department within 12 hours of any change to the location where the animal is kept.
2. Immediately notify the Department if the animal is lost, stolen, or has attacked, bitten, or injured any person or other animal.
3. If the animal is returned to its lawful owner, immediately notify the Department with the name, address, and contact information of the person to whom the animal was released.
4. After 30 days, bring the dog or cat into the nearest City animal shelter and either surrender the animal to the Department or complete the process to adopt the animal, including having the animal vaccinated and sterilized. If the found animal is a dog, adoption also will require the adopter to license the dog. The Department shall waive the adoption fee for any animal adopted pursuant to this section.
(a) Whenever animals are kept within any building or on any premises without food, water or proper care and attention, it shall be the duty of any departmental employee to enter said building or premises to take possession of and remove said animals so abandoned or neglected. Such entry shall be effected in accordance with Section 53.03 of this article. (Amended by Ord. No. 136,242, Eff. 4/19/68.)
(b) Every person maintaining a commercial building, structure or premises, where animals are kept for commercial purposes, shall cause a notice, framed and enclosed under glass, containing the names, addresses and telephone numbers of persons to be notified during any hour of the day or night who will proceed immediately to the location so as to permit entry to the premises by representatives of the Department, to be posted on the premises near the entrance, said notice to be in such a position as to be legible from the sidewalk or ground level adjacent to the building. (Amended by Ord. No. 150,337, Eff. 1/1/78.)
(a) The Department shall hold any stray animal, including any horse, mule, burro, cattle, goat, sheep and other live stock, except dogs, cats, rabbits, birds, poultry, or any other miscellaneous stray animals, impounded under the provisions of this article for a period of three (3) days during which time the owner of such animal, if known, shall be notified, after which time said animal may be sold by an officer of the Department as follows: Written or printed notice of sale at public auction, stating the time and place of sale and containing a description of the animal to be sold, must be posted for five (5) days on the bulletin boards of three (3) public buildings, namely: One (1) at the Public Pound; one (1) at the City Hall, and one (1) at the Central Police Station;
(b) In the case of dogs, the Department of Animal Services shall hold such animal for a period of one (1) day after the impounding of said animal, during which time the owner of said animal, if known, shall be notified, after which time said animal may be sold by an officer of the Department in the same manner as provided in this section for the sale of other animals except that notice of sale need be posted only two (2) days in the places named in this section. The purchaser of such dog shall procure the required license for the current year.
(c) Cats, rabbits, birds, poultry, and other animals not hereinabove mentioned shall be disposed of as in the case of dogs except that no license fee shall be charged.
(d) In addition to the posting of any notice of impounding or of the sale of any dog or other animal as hereinbefore provided, said General Manager is hereby authorized, whenever the same shall, in the judgment of the General Manager, be expedient or proper, to publish a notice in any newspaper of general circulation published in this City containing the same information as the notice of sale as above provided.
(e) If any animal is not redeemed or sold, the General Manager of the Department may continue to hold for subsequent sale said animal in accordance with the terms as hereinbefore set forth, or order the destruction of such animal. Said General Manager or other duly authorized representative of the Department shall execute a bill of sale to the purchaser of any animal sold and thereupon the title to such animal shall be vested in such purchaser.
(f) When any animal is sold under the provisions of this Article, from the proceeds of such sale shall be deducted the regular pound fee, and, in the case of livestock, the cost of care and feed of such animal, and in the case of dogs, the license for the current year. Any sum of money which remains over and above said fees may be claimed by the owner of said animal so sold, upon satisfactory proof of ownership being made to the Department within sixty (60) days from the date of sale, provided, however, that the owner did not voluntarily surrender said animal to the Department. (Amended by Ord. No. 150,337, Eff. 1/1/78.)
(g) Whenever any dog has been impounded as in this section provided, and the owner thereof has not redeemed the same within the time for such redemption prescribed by this article, and after notice has been posted on the bulletin boards of three public buildings as in this ordinance prescribed of the time and place of the sale of said dog, and when the owner of said dog has not appeared at said sale as so noticed, the Department of Animal Services without offering said dog for sale at public auction, is hereby authorized, upon the request of any of the armed forces of the United States to deliver the dog to said armed forces of the United States without any cost, charge, fee or expense whatsoever, and to execute a bill of sale for said dog to said armed force or forces.
(h) (None)
(i) Any purchaser of a dog or cat may within ten (10) days after such purchase exchange such dog or cat if said animal has been examined by a veterinarian or by an authorized departmental representative and determined to be physically or otherwise unsuitable for placement. If the charges for the substituted dog or cat are greater than the amount paid for the original, the purchaser shall pay the difference. No refund shall be made if the price of the substituted dog or cat is less than the amount paid for the original. An exchange must be consummated within 31 calendar days from the original purchase date and no part of the purchase price shall be refunded even if a purchaser is unable to make satisfactory exchange within the prescribed period. (Added by Ord. No. 137,182, Eff. 10/7/68.)
(j) Any person adopting an impounded dog of any age that has not been spayed or neutered due to a medical condition as determined by the Department shall in addition to and consistent with any other charges imposed by this Article, pay a sterilization deposit and a license tax and fee equal to that for a spayed or neutered dog, and enter into an agreement with the Department to spay or neuter the dog as soon as medically feasible and provide periodic updates and proof of spay/neuter to the Department as required by the agreement. The license shall not be valid until such satisfactory proof of spay or neuter is received by the Department. (Added by Ord. No. 181,882, Eff. 10/30/11.)
(k) (None)
(l) Release by Department. (Added by Ord. No. 106,995, Eff. 3/24/56.)
1. Vaccinated Dog. An impounded dog that has been vaccinated against rabies or exempted therefrom by an exemption certificate as provided in this article may be released to the owner or other person desiring to possess the dog upon the payment of the fees and license tax required by this article.
2. Unvaccinated Dog – Purchaser. Any person desiring to purchase an impounded unvaccinated dog, not previously owned by said person, must pay the fees and license tax required by this article and furnish a signed statement in compliance with Sec. 53.52 hereof or comply with the conditions of subdivision 3 hereof.
3. Conditional Release of Unvaccinated Dog to Owner. Every person receiving a dog from the Department pursuant to this subdivision shall comply with all of the conditions prescribed herein. An impounded dog that has not been vaccinated against rabies or exempted therefrom by an exemption certificate as provided in this article may be released by the Department to the owner of the dog on condition that such owner:
(i) Pay the fees and license tax required by this article; and
(ii) Furnish to the Department at the time of release the owner’s signed statement that the owner will have the dog vaccinated within 10 days;
(iii) Have the dog vaccinated for rabies within 10 days; and
(iv) Exhibit a certificate of vaccination to the Department within 10 days at which time the license will be issued.
(m) No person shall make a false or misleading statement or representation regarding the ownership or right to custody or control of an animal for which a permit or license is required, or regarding the ownership of an animal redeemed from, turned over to, impounded by or coming under the jurisdiction of the Department pursuant to this article.
(n) The General Manager or the General Manager’s authorized representative may immunize any impounded dog or cat against common diseases. (Amended by Ord. No. 149,942, Eff. 8/19/77.)
(o) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Article, the Board of Animal Services Commissioners, subject to the approval of the City Council, shall establish a calendar of specific adoption events and certain time periods within a fiscal or calendar year during which the General Manager may reduce the fees listed in Section 53.12(a) by up to 50%, and may reduce or waive the fees for an electronic animal identification device (microchip) established pursuant to Section 53.15.5, in order to encourage and promote pet adoptions. (Amended by Ord. No. 180,697, Eff. 6/26/09.)
(p) (Amended by Ord. No. 180,697, Eff. 6/26/09.) Subject to the approval of the Board of Animal Services, the General Manager may waive all or any portion of the fees listed in Section 53.12(a) and all or any portion of the electronic animal identification device (microchip) fees established pursuant to Section 53.15.5 upon the release of any animal which has been held by the Department for the legal holding period plus at least one additional day, to a non-profit humane or rescue organization that meets the eligibility criteria of a program established by the Board of Animal Services Commissioners designed to increase adoptions by partnering with non-profit humane or rescue organizations, when the organization enters into an agreement with the Department to comply with the program requirements. The designation of an animal as releasable shall be in accordance with the Department’s policies concerning the adoption of such animals. The Board shall adopt guidelines for fee waivers by the Department, taking into account an animal’s adoptability and the availability of shelter space. A fee waiver will be made only upon the condition that any animal so released may not be sold by the receiving organization but may be adopted out to a member of the public for an adoption fee which does not exceed the organization’s aggregate cost recovery. The organizations receiving fee waivers may be audited annually by the City.
For the purposes of this section, rescue and humane organizations are defined as California non-profit corporations that are exempt from taxation under Internal Revenue Code section 501(c)(3), participate in early age spay/neuter of animals, comply with all State and local laws regarding the humane care and treatment of animals, and in addition, whose mission is in whole or in part the rescue and placement of companion animals including but not limited to dogs, cats, rabbits, gerbils, hamsters, birds, equine animals, farm animals or reptiles, and/or the trapping, neutering and returning of feral cats.
(q) The General Manager may waive all or any portion of the fees, including license taxes and fees, upon the release of any animal which has been held by the Department for the legal holding period to another municipal or county animal control agency, a Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA), or to a local animal control agency or entity responsible for enforcing animal-related laws for one or more municipalities or counties. The designation of an animal as releasable shall be in accordance with the Department’s policies concerning the adoption of such animals. Societies for the prevention of cruelty to animals are California non-profit corporations that perform humane services and are incorporated under the provisions of California Corporations Code Section 10400 and the Non-profit Public Benefit Corporation Law in Part 2 of the California Corporations Code, beginning at Section 5110. (Added by Ord. No. 180,697, Eff. 6/26/09.)
(Title and Section Amended by Ord. No. 180,697, Eff. 6/26/09.)
(a) The Department shall charge and collect fees of the types and in the amounts set forth in this section, or as revised in the manner set forth in this section, to recover the costs incurred by the City in connection with animals adopted or redeemed from City animal shelters. From time to time the Board of Animal Services Commissioners shall determine the verifiable total costs incurred by the City in connection with animal impoundment and adoption, and develop and recommend to the City Council for approval, a revised fee schedule for animals adopted or redeemed from the animal shelters, including those adopted through special programs. Unless revised as set forth herein, the Department shall charge and collect the following fees: (Amended by Ord. No. 185,537, Eff. 6/21/18.)
1. Spay or neuter, dog, cat or rabbit $40.00
2. For each puppy (4 months and under) adopted $150.00
3. For each dog adopted $102.00
4. For each dog redeemed $47.00
5. For each kitten (4 months and under) adopted $50.00
6. For each cat adopted $25.00
7. For each cat redeemed $21.00
8. For each dog redeemed, 2nd occurrence $25.00 additional
9. For each dog redeemed, 3rd occurrence or more $50.00 additional
10. For each cat redeemed, 2nd occurrence $13.00 additional
11. For each cat redeemed, 3rd occurrence or more $26.00 additional
12. For each equine animal adopted or redeemed $325.00
13. For each sheep, swine, goat or other animal adopted or redeemed $26.00
14. For each small pet, reptile, poultry or bird adopted or redeemed $17.00
15. For each exotic bird adopted $250.00
16. For each exotic bird redeemed $75.00
17. For each rabbit adopted $71.00
18. For each rabbit redeemed $16.00
19. Relinquishment fee for a dog Donation only
20. Relinquishment fee, including pickup, for a dog $59.00
21. Relinquishment fee for a cat Donation only
22. Relinquishment fee, including pickup, for a cat $56.00
23. Relinquishment fee for a rabbit Donation only
24. Relinquishment fee for an equine animal $237.00
25. Relinquishment fee, including pickup, for an equine animal $333.00
26. Relinquishment fee for a small animal Donation only
27. Relinquishment fee for other animals Donation only
28. Relinquishment fee, including pickup, for other animals $55.00
For feeding and caring for an animal held for other than adoption or redemption, the Department may charge a fee for the reasonable cost of feeding and caring for the animal. In addition to the above fees, the Department shall charge and collect fees for implanting a microchip and for spay and neuter and other charges as provided in this article. For each dog, cat or rabbit adopted, the above fee includes the cost of a microchip and sterilization. In the case of a dog, the adoption fee may be increased by an additional amount equal to the cost of a license for an altered dog.
(b) No fees whatsoever shall be charged or collected for or on account of any animal which has been unlawfully taken up or impounded, and any such animal shall be immediately delivered upon demand therefore to the owner or person entitled to the custody thereof.
(c) For veterinary services furnished to animals by the Department:
1. If furnished by a private veterinarian at the request of the Department, the fee to be charged and collected shall be the total of the actual bill to the Department plus $2.00 for Department administrative expenses, or such other reasonable fee as established in the manner set forth in Subsection (a) above.
2. If furnished by a City veterinarian, the fees shall be charged and collected pursuant to a fee schedule to be established by the General Manager.
Said fee schedule shall take into account the reasonable expense of supplying the services including such factors as direct costs of the services and department overhead.
(d) Department shall not charge and collect a fee for each dog or cat redeemed by the owner who is a “disabled” individual or is 62 years of age or older provided that the combined adjusted gross income of all members of the household in which such individual resides was less than the “very low income” limitations for residents of the City of Los Angeles, as determined by the United States Housing Act of 1937, as amended, using the figure in effect on the preceding first day of April and published by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development. (Amended by Ord. No. 181,268, Eff. 9/26/10.)
(e) Department shall not charge and collect a fee for each animal, or litter under four months old, which is impounded, other than an animal suspected of rabies which is impounded for the purpose of quarantine, provided that the combined adjusted gross income of all members of the household in which the owner resides is less than the “very low income” limitation for persons residing in the City of Los Angeles, as determined by the United States Housing Act of 1937, as amended, using the figure in effect on the preceding first day of April and published by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development. (Amended by Ord. No. 181,268, Eff. 9/26/10.)
(f) For purposes of this section, an individual shall be considered to be “disabled” if the individual meets the definitions promulgated from time to time pursuant to the California Fair Employment and Housing Act and/or by the United States Department of Labor. (Amended by Ord. No. 181,268, Eff. 9/26/10.)
(g) All of the proceeds from the fee set forth in Subsection (a) for each rabbit adopted or redeemed plus the proceeds from the spay or neuter fee as established in this Article, shall be deposited into the Animal Sterilization Fund, up to an amount of $40.00 per rabbit.
(h) The General Manager may reduce the fees listed in Section 53.12(a) by up to 50%, and reduce or waive the fees for an electronic animal identification device (microchip) for a second or subsequent animal adopted along with an animal whose adoption fees were paid for in full where the animals have bonded with each other.
(i) The Department may reduce the fees listed in Section 53.12(a) by up to 50%, and reduce or waive the fees for an electronic animal identification device (microchip), for any impounded animal that is seven years of age or older, if adopted by an individual 62 years of age or older who will own and maintain that animal.
Loading...