(A) (1) Any dog suspected of rabies may be seized on the premises of the owner or elsewhere and be confined in a veterinary hospital for a period of at least ten days at the expense of the owner and at the discretion of the Dog Warden; and any dog that has bitten any person may be seized on the premises of the owner, or elsewhere, and be confined and impounded for a period of at least ten days at the expense of the owner and at the discretion of the Dog Warden; and the dog may be released at the end of the ten-day period if healthy and free from symptoms of rabies and by the payment of costs by the owner. If the owner of the dog applies in writing, he or she may, under circumstances where proper facilities are available, obtain permission from the County Sheriff to impound the dog at his or her home. It shall be the responsibility of any person or persons bitten by a dog, wherein the bite requires the services of a physician, to report an incident to the County Sheriff’s Department.
(2) Any dog which is diseased, vicious, dangerous, rabid or exposed to rabies and which dog cannot be taken up and impounded without serious risk to the person or persons attempting to take up the dog, may be tranquilized and impounded.
(B) (1) The city, upon the impounding of any dog, shall, through the Dog Warden, without delay, notify the owner personally or through the United States Mail, if the owner is known; but if the owner be unknown, then the Dog Warden shall post a written notice at the city offices describing the dog, stating where it is impounded and that it may be redeemed. All animals conveyed to the pound shall be kept, with humane treatment and sufficient food and water for their comfort, at least five regular business days, unless the animal is a dangerous animal as defined under M.S. §§ 347.50 to 347.54, as they may be amended from time to time, in which case it shall be kept for seven days, and except if the animal is a cruelly-treated animal under M.S. §§ 343.20 to 343.235, as they may be amended from time to time, in which case it shall be kept for ten days, unless sooner reclaimed by their owners or keepers as provided by this section. The owner shall pay the costs incurred in confining, impounding and disposing of the animal. The Dog Warden shall issue a receipt in triplicate pursuant to the requirements of this section, the duplicate to be furnished the City Clerk/Treasurer with remittance of the impounding fee and the triplicate to be retained by the Dog Warden.
(2) If, at the end of the period specified in (B)(1) above, the dog has not been redeemed by the owner, the dog may be sold to any person for a sufficient amount to pay for the cost of the impounding fee and the cost of boarding, as above established. If the dog is not redeemed or sold as provided herein, the Dog Warden may dispose of the dog in a proper and humane manner, or pursuant to the terms of M.S. § 35.71, as it may be amended from time to time.
(Ord. passed 4-12-83) Penalty, see § 10.99