(A) Authority to impound. Employees of the city are hereby authorized to apprehend any dog found to be at large or running at large in violation of the provisions of this subchapter. When the owner is not immediately available or circumstances otherwise warrant, a dog, whether or not properly licensed, that is creating, causing or constituting a PUBLIC NUISANCE, as defined in § 90.06(A), may, upon probable cause that such nuisance has been or is being created, be apprehended or taken into custody by a city employee, pending judicial action on or disposition of any citation issued. In the case of vicious dogs, as provided in § 90.09, a city employee is authorized to apprehend and impound such animals pending judicial action on or disposition of a citation issued.
(B) Impound facility. All dogs that are apprehended or taken into possession by the city shall be impounded at a suitable facility designated by the City Council for such purpose.
(C) Impound registry. Upon receipt of any such dog at the pound facility, a complete registry shall be made of such dog, including breed, color, sex and the number of the registration, if any. If the dog has no tag or evidence of registration, that fact should be noted.
(D) Notice of impoundment. Not later than the next business day after the impounding of any dog, the owner thereof shall be notified of the dog’s impoundment. If the owner of the dog is not known, a reasonable attempt shall be made to identify the owner, including doing such things as broadcasting on the local radio station or posting a public notice of the dog’s impoundment, along with a description of the dog.
(E) Redemption by owner; fees. The owner of any dog so impounded may reclaim such dog upon proof of compliance with the licensing provisions of this subchapter and upon payment of all costs incurred by the city for the impounding and maintenance of the dog, together with any or all fines imposed upon the owner by the city court as of the date of reclaiming. Daily maintenance fees at the pound or kennel shall consist of those charges billed or imposed by the operator of the pound facility or kennel.
(F) Unclaimed dogs. All dogs impounded by the city shall be impounded no longer than four days from the date of the notice to the owner or, in the case of the owner being unknown, four days from the date on which a public notice of the impoundment was first issued, whether through the radio station or by other means. If, at the expiration of such four days, the dog has not been reclaimed, the dog may be destroyed. In lieu of destruction, the dog may be given to some responsible person who is able and willing to provide suitable care for the dog. If the dog is not licensed, the person to whom the dog is given must pay for the license fees and provide necessary proof of rabies vaccination.
(G) Diseased dogs. Whenever an impounded dog is so sick or injured that, in the judgment of the city or veterinarian, the animal should be humanely destroyed to prevent needless suffering, the dog may be promptly euthanized.
(Prior Code, § 4-3A-6) (Ord. 7-050409, passed 5-4-2009)