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§ 131.33 DISPOSITION OF UNCLAIMED ANIMALS.
   (A)   Any domestic animal not reclaimed by its owner within six days of the posting of notice of impoundment at the animal control facility shall be eligible for either adoption, rescue, or euthanasia, whichever is necessary, in the discretion of Warrick County Animal Control, to carry out the intent of this chapter.
   (B)   Adoption. Adoption of an unclaimed animal from Warrick County Animal Control requires the following:
      (1)   The adopting party to pay for a rabies vaccination of said animal, if the animal is one requiring rabies vaccination under the laws of the State of Indiana or by this chapter;
      (2)   By paying a fee of $10 for any animal six months of age or older, or a fee of $5 for any animal under the age of six months. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the cost of an animal that is already spayed or neutered at the time of adoption is $25. The Animal Control Officer shall be charged with the responsibility of determining the species and age of the adopted animal. Adoption fees may be modified by Warrick County Animal Control from time to time, according to its discretion; and
      (3)   In the event the animal to be adopted has not been spayed or neutered, the animal shall be spayed or neutered prior to finalization of the adoption. The person seeking adoption shall make arrangements with a licensed veterinarian in Warrick County to perform the necessary surgery to spay or neuter the animal. The Animal Control Officer shall deliver the animal to the veterinarian's office for such surgery.
   (C)   Rescue. Rescue of an unclaimed animal from Warrick County Animal Control requires the following:
      (1)   The rescuing party pay a fee of:
         (a)   Five dollars for an animal less than six months of age;
         (b)   Ten dollars for an animal six months of age or older; or
         (c)   Fifteen dollars for a litter of offspring and the litter's mother.
         (d)   Rescue fees may be modified by Warrick County Animal Control, from time to time, according to its discretion.
      (2)   Each rescuing party be approved by Warrick County Animal Control for the rescue of the unclaimed animal and have a completed rescue application on file at the Warrick County Animal Control office. Rescue applications are available at the Warrick County Animal Control office.
   (D)   Euthanasia. The decision to euthanize an unclaimed animal shall be made at the sole discretion of Warrick County Animal Control.
(BC Ord. 1992-2, passed 2-10-92; Am. BC Ord. 2003-15, passed 7-16- 03; Am. BC Ord. 2018-26, passed 9-24-18; Am. BC Ord. 2018-34, passed 12-10-18; Am. BC Ord. 2021-35, passed 9-27-21; Am. BC Ord. 2023-27, passed 12-27-23)
§ 131.34 RELINQUISHMENT OF ANIMALS.
   (A)   Only those animals that have been found in Warrick County may be surrendered to Warrick County Animal Control.
   (B)   A person must complete and sign an intake card provided by Warrick County Animal Control before surrendering an animal to Warrick County Animal Control.
   (C)   Animals that are surrendered to Warrick County Animal Control shall immediately become the property of Warrick County and placed for disposition.
   (D)   In its sole discretion, Warrick County Animal Control may provide euthanasia services of animals upon request, following the completion of a euthanasia request form provided to the requesting party by Warrick County Animal Control. Warrick County Animal Control shall require the party requesting said service to pay any costs associated therewith. The decision to euthanize an animal pursuant to this section shall be made at the sole discretion of Warrick County Animal Control.
   (E)   Stray animals shall be impounded for six days, commencing the day the animal is impounded, as long as space allows and the animal, in Warrick County Animal Control's discretion, is in good health. If Warrick County Animal Control determines the animal is sick, contagious, suffering, or extremely dangerous, the animal may be humanely euthanized in accordance with Warrick County Animal Control procedure.
   (F)   Animals that pose a danger to Warrick County Animal Control employees and staff and that are without a means of identification may be euthanized at the discretion of Warrick County Animal Control.
(BC Ord. 2018-26, passed 9-24-18; Am. BC Ord. 2018-34, passed 12-10-18; Am. BC Ord. 2021-19, passed 4-26-21; Am. BC Ord. 2021- 35, passed 9-27-21; Am. BC Ord. 2023-27, passed 12-27-23)
RABIES CONTROL
§ 131.40 RABIES VACCINE REQUIRED.
   (A)   No owner shall possess within Warrick County any animal three months of age or older that is required by law to have a rabies vaccination, unless such animal has been immunized by a licensed veterinarian with a rabies vaccine of a type approved by the State Board of Health. In accordance with Indiana state law, one-year and three-year vaccines may be used according to approved label directions.
   (B)   In no case shall more than the period prescribed on the vaccine label, whether one year or three years, lapse between an animal's rabies vaccination.
(BC Ord. 1992-2, passed 2-10-92; Am. BC Ord. 2003-15, passed 7-16- 03; Am. BC Ord. 2018-26, passed 9-24-18; Am. BC Ord. 2021-35, passed 9-27-21; Am. BC Ord. 2023-27, passed 12-27-23) Penalty, see § 131.99
§ 131.41 KNOWLEDGE OF RABIES OR ANIMAL BITE TO BE REPORTED TO OFFICIALS.
   (A)   Any person who has knowledge or a reasonable belief that an animal is afflicted with rabies shall immediately notify the Animal Control Officer, the Warrick County Sheriff’s Department, or the Warrick County Health Department.
   (B)   Whenever an animal bites a person or another animal, the owner of said biting animal shall immediately notify the Animal Control Officer.
(BC Ord. 1992-2, passed 2-10-92; Am. BC Ord. 2018-26, passed 9-24-18; Am. BC Ord. 2021-35, passed 9-27-21; Am. BC Ord. 2023-27, passed 12-27-23) Penalty, see § 131.99
§ 131.42 BITE REPORTS.
   (A)   Following receipt of an animal bite report, the Animal Control Officer shall determine if the animal accused of biting is likely to have caused serious injury to the alleged victim, and if the accused animal has been properly inoculated with a rabies vaccine.
   (B)   After investigation, if the Animal Control Officer concludes the victim has been seriously injured and the alleged animal is likely to have caused the injury, then the owner of the animal accused of biting shall surrender the animal to the Animal Control Officer for quarantine. In the alternative, the owner of the animal accused of biting the victim may surrender the animal to a licensed veterinary physician office located in Warrick County or other contiguous Indiana county for quarantine. An owner of an animal who refuses to surrender the animal to the Animal Control Officer or a licensed veterinary physician for quarantine upon request violates this chapter and shall be subject to the specific penalty provisions of § 131.99(D).
   (C)   Upon receipt of an animal bite report, the Animal Control Officer may enter upon private property, excluding closed buildings, if he or she has reasonable grounds to believe that a biting animal is located on said property.
   (D)   Upon taking possession of a biting animal, or an animal accused of biting, the Animal Control Officer shall order the animal to be held in quarantine for a period of ten days. In the absence of evidence of a rabies immunization, the animal shall be held in quarantine at the animal control facility or a licensed veterinary facility. If the Animal Control Officer determines that the animal accused of biting has been properly inoculated with a rabies vaccine, the animal may, at the discretion of the Animal Control Officer, be quarantined in the home of the owner or other responsible person if the owner of the animal agrees in writing to comply with all of the provisions of the Home Quarantine Guidelines issued by the State of Indiana. The Home Quarantine Guidelines shall include, without limitation, the following:
      (1)   The Warrick County Animal Control Officer shall appoint a licensed veterinarian to examine the animal at the end of a ten-day quarantine period. The owner of the animal accused of biting shall be responsible for the costs incurred in examining the animal, as well as a boarding fee of $15 per day, which costs shall be paid prior to the release of the animal at the end of the quarantine period. If the animal is quarantined at a veterinary facility of the owner's choice, the owner shall be solely responsible for the costs and care of the animal in said facility.
      (2)   If, at the end of the ten-day quarantine period, the veterinarian appointed by the Warrick County Animal Control Officer reasonably believes that the animal is not afflicted with rabies, said animal shall be released from quarantine contingent upon the following:
         (a)   Compliance with the payment requirements set forth in § 131.33;
         (b)   Compliance with the inoculation requirements set forth in this section; and
         (c)   Payment of veterinary expenses for examination during quarantine required under this section.
      (3)   If an animal dies at any time during a ten-day quarantine period, the animal's head shall be sent to the Indiana State Department of Health for examination. Any costs incurred by Warrick County in connection with such examination shall be the responsibility of the owner of the animal and paid upon notice thereof.
      (4)   No animal shall be destroyed or otherwise disposed of at any point during the ten-day period in which the animal is quarantined without the express permission of the Warrick County Animal Control Officer.
(BC Ord. 1992-2, passed 2-10-92; Am. BC Ord. 2003-15, passed 7-16- 03; Am. BC Ord. 2018-26, passed 9-24-18; Am. BC Ord. 2018-34, passed 12-10-18; Am. BC Ord. 2021-19, passed 4-26-21; Am. BC Ord. 2021-35, passed 9-27-21; Am. BC Ord. 2023-27, passed 12-27-23) Penalty, see § 131.99
ADMINISTRATION
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