Subd. 1. Pound. The city shall provide an adequate pound or facilities where animals taken into custody by an Animal Enforcement Officer shall be kept and properly fed and cared for until disposed of according to the provisions of this chapter.
Subd. 2. Notice of impoundment. Within 24 hours of taking an animal into custody, the Animal Enforcement Officer shall give notice of the animal impoundment to the last known owner(s) and/or custodian(s) of the animal. If no address is available from police records, city license records, or available microchip identification, notice shall be given to the residence with which the animal was last associated. The notice shall reasonably describe the animal and advise that in the event the animal is not redeemed within five regular business days after a stated date, the animal may be destroyed.
Subd. 3. Redemption by owner. The owner of any animal seized pursuant to this section may retrieve the animal from the city's animal impound shelter, provided that the owner purchases the appropriate license within seven days if the animal is not already properly licensed, pays all impound fees to cover the cost of apprehending the animal, boarding fees to cover the cost of sheltering the animal, any veterinary costs incurred by the animal control authority, and any other costs incurred by the animal control authority. Any owner who fails to comply with these requirements within five regular business days shall be deemed to have forfeited any property right to the animal and the animal control authority may dispose of it pursuant to Subdivision 5 of this section. In determining the impounding fee, the city may establish a schedule of fees based on the number of times an animal has been impounded. Boarding fees shall be according to a schedule adopted and maintained by the SLMPD. License fees shall be adopted by the City Council by resolution.
Subd. 4. Disposition of unclaimed or injured animals. Upon expiration of the five regular business day period, an animal in the custody of the Animal Enforcement Officer may be surrendered to the Animal Humane Society or euthanized. Nothing in this chapter shall prevent the Animal Enforcement Officer from causing the animal to be euthanized in less than the five regular business days waiting period as aforesaid where the animal is injured and, in the opinion of the Animal Enforcement Officer or a veterinarian, the only humane act would be one of euthanization.
Subd. 5. Records kept. The Animal Enforcement Officer shall keep an accurate account of all animals received at the pound and all animals euthanized or released there from.
(Ord. 504, passed 10-28-2013)