(A) No person having charge or custody of an animal, as owner or otherwise, shall place or confine such animal or allow such animal to be placed or confined or to remain in a motor vehicle under such conditions or for such period of time as may endanger the health or well-being of such animal due to heat, cold, lack of food or water, or such other circumstances as may reasonably be expected to cause suffering, disability or death.
(B) An officer of the Murray Police Department or any Animal Control Officer who finds an animal in a motor vehicle in violation of this chapter may enter into the motor vehicle if necessary to remove the animal. The officer shall make a reasonable effort to locate the owner of the vehicle prior to entering the vehicle. Any damage to the vehicle as a result of the officer using forceful entry to rescue a distressed animal will be the sole responsibility of the owner of said vehicle.
(1) The officer removing the animal shall take the animal to the animal shelter or to a veterinary clinic for safekeeping and shall, in the event the person having custody cannot be otherwise contacted, leave in a prominent place in the motor vehicle a written notice bearing his or her name and office and the address where the animal may be claimed by the owner thereof.
(2) The animal will be surrendered to the owner if the owner claims the animal within 72 hours from the time the animal was removed from the motor vehicle and pays all reasonable charges that have accrued for the maintenance of the animal. In the event the owner does not claim the animal within 72 hours, the animal shall be deemed abandoned and further action may be taken in accordance with § 90.23 Abandonment.
(Ord. 2004-1363, passed 12-9-04)