A. Duty To Impound: It is declared to be the duty of the animal control officer, municipal police, or duly authorized designee to take up and impound or cause to be impounded any astray animals found in the city.
B. Astray Animals Displaying License Or Other Identification: If the astray animal is wearing a license or bears other visual identification, the animal control officer, municipal police or duly authorized designee will attempt to notify the owner or his or her agent or representative of the animals impoundment. If after one (1) business day the owner or his or her agent or representative has not claimed the animal, the animal may be adopted, sold or euthanized in a humane manner in that order of priority while in the physical possession of the animal control officer, municipal police, or duly authorized designee.
C. Astray Animals Not Displaying License Or Other Identification: If the astray animal is not wearing a license or other visual identification, and after one (1) business day no one has appeared to claim the animal, the animal may be adopted, sold or euthanized in a humane manner in that order of priority while in the physical possession of the animal control officer, municipal police, or duly authorized designee.
D. City Not Liable For Disposition Of Unclaimed Animal After Notification: If the animal control officer, municipal police, or duly authorized designee notified the owner or his or her agent or representative of the impoundment of the owner's animal and if the owner or his or her agent or representative has not appeared to claim the animal after one (1) business day, as specified in this section, then the city or its duly authorized agents and representatives shall not be held liable to the owner of the animal for the adoption, sale or euthanization of the impounded animal.
E. City Not Liable For Disposition Of Unclaimed Animal Where Notification Not Possible: If the animal control officer, municipal police, or duly authorized designee is unable to notify the owner because the animal does not have a license or other visual identification and the animal is not claimed within one (1) business day, then the city or its duly authorized agents and representatives shall not be held liable to the owner of the animal for the adoption, sale or euthanization of the impounded animal.
F. Claiming Of Astray Animal: The astray animal may be claimed from the pound by its owner or his or her agent or representative by payment to the city for the impounding fee, transportation fee, quarantine fee, microchip fee, and payment of the license fee for the current year (if the animal was unlicensed and a license is required), payment of vaccination charges (if necessary), and any medical expenses incurred by the impounding authority. The aforementioned fees shall be those established by city resolution, as may be amended from time to time. Any astray animal which is not claimed by its owner or his or her agent or representative within one (1) business day, as specified in this section, may be adopted by another person through the animal humane society by payment to the city of the license fee for the current year (if the animal was unlicensed and a license is required), payment of vaccination charges (if necessary), and any medical expenses incurred by the impounding authority.
G. Records Maintained: The city shall maintain a record of all animals impounded for a reasonable period of time. The record shall contain at least the following information:
1. Description of the animal;
2. Manner, place and date of its acquisition;
3. Date and manner of its disposal;
4. Name, address, and phone number of person claiming the animal;
5. Copy of proof of identification of person claiming the animal (such as, but not limited to, copy of a valid driver's license, social security card, passport, utility bill);
6. All fees received; and
7. Medical expenses for the animal.
H. Public's Duty To Report Astray Animals: Any person finding any astray animal shall notify the animal control officer, municipal police, or duly authorized designee as soon as possible, and shall surrender the astray animal to the animal control officer, municipal police, or duly authorized designee upon demand. (Ord. 2006-06, 4-18-2006)