(A) General. The police or other persons designated by the City Manager for such purpose shall cause to be seized and impounded any dog at large in the city or not wearing a vaccination tag as required by W.Va. Code § 19-20A-4; provided that, if a dog found in violation of this subchapter is rabid, vicious or otherwise constitutes a danger to human life or limb the officer whose duty it is to impound such dog may destroy it by shooting, if it cannot safely be captured and made secure.
(Prior Code, § 507.04)
(B) Notice; redemption; costs.
(1) If the owner or person in charge of any dog impounded under the provisions of this subchapter is known to the impounding officer, the impounding officer shall promptly notify him or her of such impoundment, so as to inform him or her of:
(a) The dog impounded and a description thereof;
(b) The date of impoundment;
(c) The place of impoundment;
(d) The reason for impoundment;
(e) The procedure for redemption of his or her dog;
(f) The costs of redemption; and
(g) The consequences of failure to redeem the impounded dog.
(2) If the owner or person in charge of any dog impounded under the provisions of this subchapter is unknown to the impounding officer and cannot be ascertained by reasonable effort within 24 hours, the officer shall, within two days following such impoundment, post notices on the City Hall bulletin board and at three other public places within the city, each such notice to contain all the information required by divisions (B)(1)(a) through (B)(1)(g) above.
(Prior Code, § 507.05)
(C) Redemption of impounded dog; costs.
(1) The owner or person entitled to possession of any dog impounded under the provisions of this subchapter may redeem such dog at any time prior to the sale or other disposition thereof upon satisfactory proof of his or her right to possession and payment of:
(a) The expense, if any, incurred in making the impoundment;
(b) The expense incurred for sustenance, shelter and care of the impounded dog;
(c) The expense incurred for giving notice;
(d) The expense incurred for advertising a sale, retention of an auctioneer and related items; and
(e) Any other expense actually incurred; provided that, no dog shall be redeemed for less than a fee in an amount set by Council from time to time for each day such dog was impounded.
(2) No impounded dog shall be sold, destroyed or otherwise disposed of except by release to its owner or some other person lawfully entitled to its custody until not less than five days have elapsed since its impoundment.
(Prior Code, § 507.06) (Ord. passed 4-19-1982) Penalty, see § 91.99