(A) Any dog found in the city in violation of any of the provisions of this subchapter shall be impounded by any police officer of the city or by the Animal Control Officer and placed in the city animal shelter or other suitable place provided by the city for that purpose. The Chief of Police or any officer of the Police Department or the Animal Control Officer shall, within 24 hours following the impounding of the dogs, make a reasonable attempt to contact the owner of the animals having been impounded and of its being kept in the custody of the city. If the owner of the animal is unknown, the police officer or animal control officer shall note in the animal control log located at the Police Department the description of the animal and stating a time and place when and where the animal was apprehended, and the place where it is being kept, and how the same may be recovered by the owner.
(B) Unless the dog is redeemed by the owner or person having charge thereof and all charges paid for its keep, and unless the owner has registered and licensed the dog as provided by this code, the dog shall be adopted or taken to the Humane Society after the expiration of 7 days from the time when notice the dog was apprehended and impounded has been given or posted. However, any dog which has been diagnosed by a licensed veterinarian to be suffering from rabies, a dangerous contagious disease or is deemed unadoptable shall not be released but shall be destroyed forthwith and otherwise held or disposed of according to his or her recommendations. The adoption fee for dogs adopted under the provisions of this subchapter shall be set by resolution.
(C) The Police Department or Animal Control Officer shall collect a fee for each dog impounded and an additional fee for each day or any part thereof for keeping any dog which has been apprehended or impounded; and the officer shall not release any dog until the charges have been paid, and until the dog has been duly vaccinated and licensed, as provided for by the ordinances of the city, if the dog was not licensed at the time of its apprehension. The aforesaid fees shall be set by resolution.
(1975 Code, § 6-21) (Ord. 581, passed 7-17-1971; Am. Ord. 816, passed 1-4-1982; Am. Ord. 922, passed 12-5-1988; Am. Ord. 971, passed 9-16-1991; Am. Ord. 1018, passed 9-19-1994)
Statutory reference:
Impounding of animal without proper attention unlawful, see SDCL § 40-1-26
Taking care of impounded animal, lien, and the like, for expenses, see SDCL § 40-1-5.1