A. Animals To Be Impounded: The director of animal control shall place all animals which he/she takes into custody into the Summit County animal shelter. The following animals may be taken into custody by the director of animal control and impounded without filing a complaint:
1. Any animal being kept or maintained contrary to the provisions of this chapter;
2. Any animal running at large contrary to the provisions of this chapter;
3. Any animal that is required by this chapter to be licensed and is not licensed. An animal not wearing a tag shall be presumed to be unlicensed for purposes of this section;
4. Sick or injured animals whose owner cannot be located;
5. Any abandoned animal;
6. Animals not vaccinated for rabies in accordance with the requirements of this chapter;
7. Any animal to be held for quarantine; or
8. Any vicious animal not properly confined as required by subsection 5-1-13B of this chapter.
B. Impound Records To Be Kept: The following records are to be kept and maintained by the division of animal control upon the impoundment of any animal:
1. Complete description of the animal, including tag number, or in the case of estrays, marks and brands if applicable;
2. The manner and date of impoundment;
3. The location of the pick-up and name of the officer picking up the animal;
4. The method and date of disposition (i.e., adoptive home, returned to owner, euthanasia, etc.);
5. The name and address of the redeemer or purchaser;
6. The name and address of any person relinquishing an animal to the Summit County animal shelter;
7. All fees received; and
8. All expenses accrued during impoundment.
C. Disposition Of Animals:
1. Minimum Impound Time: Animals shall be impounded for a minimum of five (5) business days before further disposition, except as otherwise provided herein. Reasonable effort shall be made to notify the owner of any animal wearing a license or other identification during that time. Notice shall be deemed given when sent to the last known address of the listed owner. Any animal voluntarily relinquished to the Summit County animal shelter by the owner for euthanasia or other disposition need not be kept for the minimum holding period before release or other disposition as herein provided.
2. Adoptions: The division of animal control shall first attempt to adopt out all healthy, adoptable dogs or cats, except for those quarantined or confined by court order, held longer than the minimum impound period, and all dogs/cats voluntarily relinquished to the impound facility. Any healthy dog or cat may be adopted by any person desiring to adopt such animal by signing the division of animal control's adoption agreement and paying the required adoption and license fees. Alternatively, the division of animal control shall notify local private humane societies or private animal welfare organizations of any such healthy dogs/cats and provide them with the option to take said dogs/cats for private placement or sale. In the event a dog/cat cannot be adopted out by the division of animal control or cannot be taken by a private humane society or private animal welfare organization, the director of animal control may euthanize the dog/cat.
a. Sterilization And Rabies Vaccine Deposit: Unless released to a private humane society or private animal welfare organization or unless previously sterlized and/or vaccinated against rabies, no dog or cat shall be released for adoption until a sterilization and/or rabies vaccine deposit is deposited with the division of animal control and the person to whom the dog or cat is released agrees, in writing as part of the adoption agreement, to cause such dog or cat to be sterilized and/or vaccinated against rabies. Such agreement shall provide that:
(1) The animal is not currently sterilized, and the person to whom the dog or cat is released agrees to have the dog or cat sterilized within thirty (30) days after the agreement is signed if the animal is six (6) months of age or older, or if the animal is younger than six (6) months of age, within thirty (30) days after the animal becomes six (6) months of age.
(2) The dog is under four (4) months of age and will be vaccinated against rabies within thirty (30) days after reaching four (4) months of age; or the dog is unvaccinated and was over four (4) months of age when acquired by the owner or when the dog moved into the jurisdiction and will be vaccinated every thirty six (36) months after its four (4) month old birthday or its arrival in Utah with a modified virus rabies vaccine approved by the Summit County health department. If the agreement is for a cat, it shall provide that the cat shall be vaccinated against rabies every thirty six (36) months.
Proof of sterilization and/or rabies vaccination shall be submitted to the division of animal control within five (5) days after expiration of the above dates at which point the division of animal control will return the deposit. If a female animal and her litter are released for adoption to one person, a sterilization deposit is required only for the female animal.
b. Adoption Conditional Upon Sterilization And Rabies Vaccine: All adoptions are conditional until the animal is sterilized and vaccinated against rabies. Failure to sterilize or vaccinate such dog or cat per as required above and per the terms of the adoption agreement shall be deemed a breach of the adoption agreement and shall result in the agreement's termination, seizure and impoundment of the dog or cat, relinquishment of all ownership rights regarding the animal; any claim to expenses incurred in maintenance and care of the animal; and forfeiture of the sterilization and/or rabies deposit as well as all amounts paid to division of animal control.
3. Release To A Veterinarian: Any licensed animal impounded and having or suspected of having serious physical injury or contagious disease requiring medical attention, may, in the discretion of the director of animal control, be released to the care of a veterinarian with the consent of the owner. (Ord. 832, 11-12-2014; amd. Ord. 944, 7-13-2022)