(A) No owner shall fail to keep any of his or her animals under restraint.
(B) Unrestrained animals may be taken by the Town Police Department or the Animal Control Officer and impounded in an animal shelter, and there confined in a humane manner. Impounded animals shall be kept for not less than 72 hours unless reclaimed by their owners. Animals not reclaimed by their owners within 72 hours may be humanely disposed of by the Animal Control Service or adopted by a new owner.
(C) (1) An owner reclaiming an impounded animal shall pay a fee to the Town Police Department or Town Clerk-Treasurer in an amount that shall be set by the Town Council from time to time per day or the then current charge of the Animal Control Service. Upon payment, a receipt shall be issued to the owner.
(2) If those fees are not paid, the animal shall be humanely disposed of or adopted by a new owner. The owner shall be deemed guilty of an ordinance violation.
(D) (1) Every female dog and cat in estrus (heat) shall be confined in a building or secure enclosure (for the purpose of this section, a chain or fence shall not be considered a SECURE ENCLOSURE unless it is enclosed on all six sides), so that an owner who reclaims an animal in heat within 72 hours of impoundment must leave the animal in the shelter until the animal is no longer in heat, at the cost equal to the cost of housing at the Animal Control Service in an amount that shall be set by the Town Council from time to time or the current charge of the Animal Control Service.
(2) If the owner shows proof of spaying or neutering the animal within 15 days after reclaiming, the boarding costs will be refunded to the owner.
(Ord. 2022-4, passed 9-22-2022) Penalty, see § 91.99