(a) The superintendent shall hold any stray animal impounded under the provisions of this title for a period of three days, not counting the first day of impound, and during such period of time the superintendent shall attempt to contact the owner of such animal, if known, by phone or mail. After the passage of three days, the animal may be sold by the superintendent as follows:
(1) Sales shall be for cash, at a price established by the city manager.
(2) If any animal is not redeemed or sold, the superintendent may continue to hold the animal for subsequent sale in accordance with the provisions contained in this section, or order the destruction of the animal.
(3) No animal will be knowingly sold to any person, medical college or university for purposes of animal experimentation.
(4) The superintendent of the animal center, or his designated appointee, may refuse to sell any animal to any person or organization if, in his opinion, the animal should not be sold to that person or organization.
Standards to be used when determining refusal to sell are:
(A) Adopting party is intoxicated;
(B) Adopting party has inadequate facilities for keeping the animal;
(C) Adopting party would be in violation of any ordinance of the city or state as a result of the adoption;
(D) Adopting party desires animal for breeding purposes;
(E) Adopting party desires the dog as a guard for a business;
(F) Adopting party has a history of animal control violations;
(G) Adopting party has past history of animal cruelty;
(H) Adopting party is suspected or known to be involved in fighting dogs or other animals;
(I) Adopting party does not have the capacity to provide for the essential needs of the animal.
A wild animal which has been taken up by the animal center shall be deemed not to be impounded unless there is reason to believe it has an owner. Such an animal need not be retained for any minimum period of time, but may be released in a park or wildlife area, where lawful, unless the animal is dangerous or suffering excessively, in which case it may be forthwith humanely destroyed or other disposition made.
Any animal which is voluntarily surrendered to the animal center by the owner need not be kept by the animal center for any minimum period of time.
An animal impounded or otherwise taken into custody by the animal center which has been certified by a licensed veterinarian to be diseased or injured to the extent that emergency veterinary care will not alleviate intense suffering shall be destroyed forthwith.
(Ord. 3257 § 3 (part), 1981: Ord. 2669 § 7 (part), 1972: Ord. 2394 (part), 1967: prior code § 18.15)