A. Enforcement: It shall be the duty of the pet control officer to carry out and enforce all of the provisions of this chapter, and no person shall hinder, delay or obstruct the pet control officer, his assistant or any law enforcement officer when engaged in capturing, securing or impounding any animal. (1984 Code §§ 6-24, 6-25)
B. Pet Shelter Established: The city council shall, by resolution, establish and maintain facilities to be used for a pound within the city or may contract with any private sector for the establishment and maintenance of a pound. Such public pound shall be under the charge of the chief of police or his designated representative. (1984 Code § 6-26)
C. Authority To Impound: Any police officer or any other person of proper authority is hereby authorized and empowered to impound any animal found within the city in violation of any provision of this chapter. (1984 Code § 6-27)
D. Costs For Impoundment: Before any person may redeem any animal from impoundment, he shall first pay the redemption fee as shall be established from time to time by resolution of the city council. (Ord. 1864, 1-6-1997)
E. Notice Of Impoundment: The owner of any animal impounded under the provisions of this section, if his identity and location can be obtained by reasonable means, shall be notified, within twenty four (24) hours, that his animal has been impounded. (1984 Code § 6-29)
F. Redemption By Person Other Than Owner: If the owner of any animal impounded under the provisions of this section shall fail to redeem such animal within three (3) days, not counting Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, after such impounding, any other person, subject to the discretion of the chief of police or such other person as he shall designate, may redeem or adopt such animal from the pet shelter and be the lawful owner thereof. (Ord. 2109, 12-15-2003)
It shall be unlawful for any person to fraudulently adopt an otherwise unredeemed animal for the purpose of avoiding the payment of redemption fees otherwise chargeable against the owner of the animal, whether such fraudulent redemption is committed by the owner of the animal or by another person for the purpose of returning the animal to its prior owner.
G. Disposition Of Unredeemed Animals: All animals impounded under the provisions of this section and remaining unredeemed after five (5) consecutive days, not counting Sundays and holidays, of the impounding, unless impounded for a longer specified time, may be disposed of by any humane means. (Ord. 1864, 1-6-1997)
H. Impoundment By Private Persons: The pet control officer shall not receive any animal into the impoundment facilities from any person unless such person shall leave his full name and place of residence, which shall be registered in a proper book kept by the pet control officer. It shall be unlawful for any person to give any false information or statement concerning the owner, keeper or harborer of any animal brought into the impoundment facilities or impounded therein. (1984 Code § 6-32)
I. Records Kept:
1. Impoundment Records: The pet control officer shall keep an accurate record of all animals received at the shelter and released, including the date and from whom received and description of the animal and the name and address of the person receiving the animal. He shall also keep an accurate count and description of animals destroyed. (1984 Code § 6-33)
2. Record Of Animal Bites: The pet control officer shall keep an accurate record of all animal bites and shall use forms supplied by the proper city official. The forms shall be made out in duplicate and filled out in detail with one copy sent to the proper city official and the other copy kept on file by the pet control officer for his record. (1984 Code § 6-34)
J. Injured Animals:
1. Unlicensed Animals: In those instances when an animal without identification is injured, and the owner cannot be found, it will be the duty of the pet control officer to determine if that animal, for humane reasons due to the extent of the injury and the suffering, shall be destroyed. The city and/or pet control officer shall not be held liable in any way for this humane act.
2. Licensed Animals: In those instances where an injured animal with a license tag issued by the pet control officer is picked up, it shall be delivered to a licensed veterinarian. All expenses of the city and the veterinarian charges and fees must be paid by the pet owner. (1984 Code § 6-35; amd. Ord. O2020-14, 12-7-2020)