No owner of any animals or fowl physically located within the City limits of Ripley shall permit said animals or fowl to run at large. Any dog which is not located upon the property of its owner, upon the property of a person inviting the dog’s owner upon the premises, or within a motor vehicle, shall be kept upon a leash at all times. Any animal or fowl found running at large or found to be in violation of the above leash provisions shall be impounded. The Animal Control Officer shall keep all records pertaining to the impounded animal which are required by the West Virginia Code. Not later than twenty-four hours after the impounding of any dog, a written notice describing the dog, the place and time of taking, and what steps the owner must take in order to redeem the dog shall be served at the owner’s residence if the owner is a resident of the City of Ripley. If the owner resides outside the limits of the City of Ripley, said written notice shall be mailed to the owner, first class mail within forty-eight (48) hours after the impounding of any dog. If the owner is unknown, said written notice shall be posted at the Ripley Police Department for seven (7) days prior to humane destruction, sale or other disposal of said dog. The Chief of Police shall be responsible for causing all notices required herein to be served, mailed or posted as the case may require.
The owner of any dog so impounded may reclaim such dog upon payment of the City license tax, if due and unpaid, and all costs and charges incurred for impounding and the maintenance of such dog.
No animal shall be released until the owner, purchaser or donee has obtained a current City license if the dog is to be kept within the limits of the City.
All dogs impounded, unless sooner redeemed by the owner thereof, shall be impounded for a period of seven (7) days. If at the expiration of seven (7) days from the date of notice to the owner or the posting of notice, such dog has not been redeemed, it may be humanely destroyed, sold or otherwise disposed of. (2-19-02)