1. Any pet animal found in violation of the provisions of this chapter may be impounded by the City. Animals subject to impoundment shall be held temporarily on City property until transferred to and impounded at a shelter or pound as described in Section 55.20. Animals held by the City shall be transferred for impoundment as soon as is practicable and reasonable under the circumstances. Animals are considered impounded for the purposes of this Chapter when they are loaded onto a vehicle for transport to the shelter or pound.
2. The City may impound any animal that is doing any act prohibited by City ordinance, or which is believed to be a threatened animal within the meaning of Iowa Code § 717B.1 as amended, or when the animal is found to be sick, injured, or dead.
3. The City may impound any animal if, upon taking its owner or custodian into custody for any lawful reason, no other person or party can be readily found to provide appropriate and adequate care and supervision to the animal. In such instances, the person in custody shall be notified of the impoundment.
4. The person authorized to impound pet animals, upon receiving any pet animal, shall make a complete registration for such animal, entering the date, species, breed, color, and sex of such animal, any tattoo number or other special characteristics, and whether licensed. If such animal is licensed, said person shall enter the name and address of the owner and the number of the license tag. Not later than two days after the impounding of any pet animal, the owner, if known, shall be notified of such impoundment.
5. The City shall keep all animals impounded pursuant to this chapter for a period of three (3) calendar days after the owner has been notified, in writing, of the impoundment, which notice shall be given to the animal owner by personal delivery, electronic mail, or by U.S. mail. U.S. mail is deemed completed four (4) days after the notice is deposited in the mail and postmarked for delivery. Electronic mail is deemed completed twenty-four (24) hours after it is sent. After such time period has expired and the owner has failed to claim and redeem any such impounded animal, such animal may be disposed of as provided for in this Chapter. This provision does not apply to stray animals for which the owner is unknown.
6. If a pet animal is not licensed, and if the owner is unknown, it shall be the duty of the City to keep the animal impounded for three days, and then said animal may be disposed of as provided for in this section.
7. The registry of impounded pet animals shall be available during reasonable hours for inspection by owners.
8. Any animal not redeemed after the expiration of the impoundment period may be adopted out or humanely euthanized.
9. Notwithstanding the provisions of this section concerning holding periods, the Police Chief may humanely euthanize any unlicensed impounded animal if the animal is feral and/or dangerous to the safety of humans or other animals, if the animal is suffering from serious injury or disease, or if the designated shelter area is at capacity.
10. Any animal impounded pursuant to this section may be redeemed upon payment of all redemption fees. Animals impounded due to suspected neglect or mistreatment shall not be redeemed by their owners or caretakers without first being subject to dispositional proceedings in accordance with Iowa Code § 717B.4, as amended.
11. Any dog or cat running at large during rabies quarantine shall be immediately impounded by the City and kept at the animal shelter for the remainder of the quarantine at the owner’s or custodian’s expense.
(Ord. 2023-04 – Sep. 23 Supp.)