(A) Animals to be impounded. The director shall place all animals which he or she takes into custody in a designated animal impound facility. The following animals may be taken into custody by the director and impounded without filing 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. An animal not wearing a tag shall be presumed to be unlicensed for purposes of this section;
(4) Sick or injured animals 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; and
(8) Any vicious animal not properly confined as required by § 93.08(G).
(B) Records of impound maintained. Complete records shall be kept for all impounded animals by the impounding facility.
(C) Disposition of animals.
(1) Licensed animals shall be impounded for a minimum of five working days before further disposition, except as otherwise provided herein. Reasonable effort shall be made to notify the owner of any animal wearing a license or other identification during that time. Notice shall be deemed given when sent to the last known address of the listed owner. Any animal voluntarily relinquished to the animal control facility by the owner thereof for destruction or other disposition need not be kept for the minimum holding period before release or other disposition as herein provided.
(2) No dog or cat shall be released for adoption until such dog or cat is spayed or neutered, unless payment for such spaying or neutering is deposited with animal control and the person to whom the dog or cat is released agrees, in writing, to cause such dog or cat to be spayed or neutered. Such agreement shall provide that the purchaser will have the dog or cat spayed or neutered within 120 days of the date of purchase. Failure to spay or neuter such dog or cat shall be deemed a breach of the adoption contract and shall result in its termination, return of the dog or cat, and forfeiture of all amounts paid to animal control. All adoptions are conditional until the animal is spayed or neutered.
(3) All dogs, except for those quarantined or confined by court order, held longer than the minimum impound period, and all dogs voluntarily relinquished to the impound facility, may be destroyed or sold as the impound facility shall direct. Any healthy dog may be sold to any person desiring to purchase such animal for a price to be determined by the impound facility, but not to exceed the fee set by the city, plus license, rabies vaccination and/or spaying or neutering fees, if required.
(4) Any licensed animal impounded and having or suspected of having serious physical injury or contagious disease requiring medical attention may be released to the care of a veterinarian with the consent of the owner.
(5) When, in the judgment of the director, it is determined that an animal should be destroyed for humane reasons or to protect the public from imminent danger to persons or property, such animal may be destroyed without regard to any time limitations otherwise established herein, and without court order.
(D) Redemption of impounded animal.
(1) The owner of any impounded animal or his or her authorized representative may redeem such animal before disposition, provided he or she pays:
(a) The impound fee;
(b) The daily board charge;
(c) Veterinary costs incurred during the impound period, including rabies vaccination; and
(d) License fee, if required.
(2) No impound fee will be charged to the reporting owners of suspected rabid animals if they comply with § 93.06(F).
(E) Impound fees for voluntary relinquishment by owner. Whenever any dog is voluntarily relinquished by the owner thereof to the animal control facility for destruction or other disposition as provided by division (D) above, a fee shall be paid by such owner in such amount as established by resolution of the City Council.
(F) Animal shelter provided. The governing authority shall provide suitable premises and facilities to be used as an animal shelter where impounded small animals can be adequately kept. They shall purchase and supply food and supply humane care for impounded animals. The governing authority shall provide for the painless and humane destruction of dogs and other animals required to be destroyed by this chapter or by the laws of the state. The governing authority may furnish, when necessary, medical treatment for such animals as may be impounded pursuant to this chapter.
(Prior Code, § 5-1-10)