(A) The chief of police shall appoint a hearing officer who shall conduct all hearings for the purpose of determining whether a dog is vicious within the provisions of this chapter.
(B) The hearing officer shall provide written notice of the hearing date, time and location at least five (5) days prior to the hearing.
(C) The hearing officer shall provide written notice to the following persons: the person(s) who owns, harbors, cares for or controls the dog, the person identified as the owner on any registration form filed with the Taft police department, any person(s) who allegedly has been bitten or attacked by the dog, the parent(s) or guardian(s) of any minor(s) who allegedly has been bitten or is the victim of such an attack, and the owner(s) of any domestic animal(s) which has allegedly been bitten or attacked by the dog.
(D) At any hearing conducted for the purpose of determining whether a dog is vicious, the owner and any interested person shall be given an opportunity to present any evidence relevant to the issue.
(E) Any dog declared to be a vicious dog may, at the discretion of the hearing officer, be humanely destroyed. Such humane destruction shall occur no earlier than ten (10) days following written notice to the owner of such dog of the intention to destroy the dog.
(F) After the hearing, in the event the hearing officer elects not to destroy the dog, he/she may issue certain rules and regulations pertaining to the keeping and containing of such animal. If such dog is thereafter determined to be in violation of any rule or regulation made pursuant to this section, such dog may be impounded and thereafter subject to summary destruction without additional hearing no earlier than ten (10) days following notice given to the owner of intention to destroy. (Ord. 693-02, 6-4-2002)