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It shall be unlawful for any person to fail or refuse to surrender any animal for quarantine or euthanasia as required in this subchapter or when the Animal Control Section makes demand.
(Ord. passed 5-3-2004; Ord. passed - - )
Penalty, see § 91.99
COMMUNITY CAT INITIATIVE
(A) Organizations or individuals that engage in Trap-Neuter-Return are encouraged to register through a sponsoring organization. Organizations performing or supporting Trap-Neuter-Return in Wake County shall identify and nominate a community cat sponsoring organization, which shall be recognized by the Wake County Environmental Services Director or his designee.
(B) The community cat sponsoring organization shall make available to the public information about Trap-Neuter-Return and feral cats, shall attempt to notify the appropriate community cat caregiver when notified by the Animal Services Division about an impounded eartipped cat, and shall provide a single point of contact to the Animal Services Division for the coordination of Trap-Neuter-Return, calls about at large cats, and calls about complaints related to community cats.
(C) Responsibilities of the community cat caregiver:
(1) Cats must be trapped using humane trapping techniques;
(2) Cats must be assessed by a veterinarian and deemed healthy at the time of spay/neuter surgery;
(3) Cats must be spayed or neutered;
(4) Cats must be vaccinated for rabies and FVRCP (Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis, Calicivirus, and Panleukopenia);
(5) Cats must be eartipped;
(6) Cat bites must be reported to Wake County Animal Control.
(D) Responsibilities of Wake County Animal Services Division.
(1) Persons that contact Wake County Animal Services about stray or community cats shall be provided information about Trap-Neuter-Return and referred to the community cat sponsoring organization.
(2) When a person contacts Wake County Animal Services with a complaint about an eartipped community cat, county staff will contact the community cat sponsoring organization for assistance in resolving the complaint.
(Ord. passed 6-4-2012)
IMPOUNDMENT
Any animal which appears to be lost, stray or unwanted, or which is not wearing a valid rabies vaccination tag, as required by state law or this chapter, and found at large, may be impounded by the Animal Control Section and confined in an animal shelter. Impoundment of the animal shall not relieve the owner thereof from any penalty, which may be imposed for violation of this chapter. An eartipped cat shall not be impounded under this section unless a complaint has been lodged against the cat pursuant to other applicable sections of this chapter.
(Ord. passed 5-3-2004; Am. Ord. passed 6-4-2012)
Immediately upon impounding an animal, the Animal Control Section shall make reasonable effort to notify the owner or community cat sponsoring organization and inform the owner or community cat sponsoring organization of the conditions whereby the animal may be redeemed. If the owner or community cat sponsoring organization is unknown or cannot be located, the animal shall be assigned an impoundment identification number and release date. The impoundment identification number and release date shall be posted on the animal’s cage or kennel at the animal control shelter for a minimum of three business days and any information about the animal, including the time and place of the taking of the animal and the time and date of posting the notice of impoundment, shall be available at the animal control shelter by reference to the impoundment identification number.
(Ord. passed 5-3-2004; Am. Ord. passed 6-4-2012)
(A) The owner or community cat caregiver of an animal impounded under this chapter may redeem the animal and regain possession thereof within 72 hours or three business days after notice of impoundment is given or posted, as required by § 91.51 by complying with all applicable provisions of this chapter and paying any necessary veterinarian’s fee, boarding fee and cost incurred in capture approved by the Board of County Commissioners.
(B) No animal owner or community cat caregiver may be permitted to adopt his or her own animal under the provisions of § 91.53 in order to reclaim an animal that has been impounded pursuant to state law or this chapter.
(Ord. passed 5-3-2004; Am. Ord. passed 6-4-2012)
(A) If an impounded animal is not redeemed by the owner within the period prescribed in § 91.52, it may be destroyed in a humane manner or shall become the property of the animal shelter and offered for adoption. A new adult owner or community cat caregiver who agrees to comply with this chapter may acquire an impounded animal; however, any prospective new owner or community cat caregiver shall not be an animal dealer who acquires animals for resale. The prospective new owner or community cat caregiver must pay any required fees. The county will not purposefully release for adoption any animal that has previously bitten a person, is aggressive or is potentially dangerous. Fees may be waived at the discretion of the Environmental Services Director or designee for rescue groups and other animal welfare groups that apply in writing to the section. The placement of animals with these organizations will be determined on a case-by-case basis.
(B) All unsterilized dogs and cats five months of age or older adopted from the county animal shelter shall be either spayed or neutered within 30 days of their adoption. All animals adopted under five months of age shall be spayed or neutered at six months of age. The adopter shall promptly provide written proof of the sterilization to the Animal Control Section. The adoption of any animal not sterilized pursuant to this section shall be deemed to violate the provision of this section and must be returned by the applicant for re-adoption to the county animal shelter. The Animal Control Section is authorized to obtain an adoption agreement from an applicant to implement the provisions of this section.
(C) (1) The animal shelter shall require from the adopter a sterilization deposit fee established by the Board of Commissioners to ensure that sterilization is obtained in addition to the established adoption fee if the animal has not been sterilized prior to its being adopted.
(2) When written proof that a licensed veterinarian has performed the required sterilization is returned to the Animal Control Section, a fee equal to the sterilization portion of the deposit will be reimbursed to the adopter. A person who fails within the specified time to arrange for the sterilization of an unsterilized cat or dog adopted from the animal shelter forfeits the sterilization deposit fee and shall surrender the cat or dog to the animal shelter.
(D) No animal which has been impounded by reason of its being a stray and unclaimed shall be allowed to be adopted from the animal shelter during a period of emergency rabies quarantine invoked pursuant to § 91.36 except by special authorization of the Director of Environmental Services.
(E) Any animal that exhibits fierce, dangerous or aggressive behavior will not be offered for adoption.
(Ord. passed 5-3-2004; Am. Ord. passed 6-4-2012)
(A) Unless proof of a current rabies vaccination can be furnished, every person who either adopts or redeems a dog or cat at the animal shelter shall have his or her animal vaccinated for rabies. A one-year vaccination may be obtained at the time of reclaim or adoption at the county animal shelter. Each redeemed community cat shall be vaccinated at the animal shelter. If the owner or adopter wishes to receive the vaccine for his or her animal at a veterinary practice of their choice, they will be given a “proof of rabies vaccination card” at the time of the redemption or adoption. This card will be stamped with a date stating the maximum time limit allowed to take the dog or cat to the veterinarian of the person’s choice for rabies vaccination. The time limit for dogs and cats four months and older will be 72 hours, with Sundays and holidays excluded. For puppies and kittens under four months, the Environmental Services Director or his or her designee will determine the time limit according to their age within 72 hours of the designated date.
(B) The “proof of rabies vaccination card” will be completed and returned to the animal shelter by the veterinarian. If this card is not returned to the animal shelter within the time limit specified on the card, an animal control officer will be dispatched to retrieve the dog or cat.
(C) Payment for the rabies vaccination provided for in this section will be the responsibility of the person redeeming or adopting the animal.
(D) The adoption agreement will be completed at the time of adoption. If the adopter fails to comply with the agreement, an animal control officer may be dispatched to retrieve the dog or cat if corrective action has not been taken by the animal’s owner.
(Ord. passed 5-3-2004)
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