(A) Any dog or cat may be picked and impounded by any police officer or city-authorized dog catcher of the city, when an owner does not restrain or keep the dog or cat in accordance with this chapter or any other applicable ordinance of the city and, to enforce this chapter, police officers and dog catchers may enter upon private premises to pick up a dog or cat. The officer may use either a dog snare or a tranquilizer gun to safely and effectively capture the animal, or by any other means necessary in order to capture the animal without causing harm to it.
(B) Upon taking and impounding a dog or cat, the enforcing officer shall notify the owner thereof if known. Any dog or cat can be redeemed from the pound by the owner within the 5-business day period by the payment of a license fee, (if not licensed) and certification of vaccination for rabies and distemper shots. And also a fee of $5 per day of impoundment and all other fees incurred by the impoundment of each animal.
(C) At the expiration of the 5 regular business days for the time any animal is impounded, if the animal has not been reclaimed in accordance with the provisions of this section, the city may let any person claim the animal by complying with all provisions in this section, or the city may sell the animal to the University of Minnesota, or cause the animal to be painlessly killed and shall properly dispose of the remains thereof. Any monies collected under this section shall be payable to the City Treasury.
(D) Pursuant to state law, an owner of any animal sold or placed for adoption by the city has 2 years from the date of the sale or adoption to redeem ownership of his or her animal. In order to redeem, the owner must pay the adopter or buyer of the animal the cost paid to the city as well as a reasonable sum for the boarding of the animal until the date of redemption.
(Ord. 90.26, passed 5-13-2013)