(a) Any member of the Police Department, or the Dog Warden or any other appropriate officer as designated by Council may seize any dog or any stray cat unaccompanied by its owner or keeper and running at large on any street or public way of this City, or trespassing on any premises other than premises of the owner or keeper, and cause such dog or cat to be impounded in the City pound or other suitable place.
(b) Not later than five days after impounding of any dog and/or cat, the owner, keeper or person found to be feeding and/or harboring said animal shall be notified, or if the owner of the dog and/or cat is unknown, written notice shall be posted for three days at three or more conspicuous places in the City describing the dog and/or cat and the place and time of taking. The owner of any dog or cat so impounded may reclaim such dog or cat upon payment of all costs and charges incurred by the City for impounding and maintenance of such dog or cat. The following charges shall be paid to the City:
Seizing dog or cat and delivering to pound $25.00
Serving or post notice to owner $25.00
Housing and feeding dog or cat $25.00
The owner or keeper or person found to be feeding and/or harboring said dog or cat unclaimed shall be liable to the City for the fees for seizing and impounding such dog or cat, as provided in this section, and any action before the Municipal Judge of the City.
(c) All dogs and cats impounded shall be kept impounded for a period of six days following the date of notice to the owner of impoundment. If at the expiration of six days from the date of notice to the owner or the posting of notice, such dog and/or cat is not redeemed, it may be destroyed. Any dog and/or cat impounded under this article or any dog or cat which appears to be suffering from rabies or affected with hydrophobia, mange or other infectious or dangerous disease shall not be released, but may be forthwith destroyed.
(d) If any fierce, dangerous or female dog or cat in heat is found running at large in violation of this article it shall be taken up and impounded and shall not be released except upon approval of the Police Department after payment of the fees provided above; provided, however, that if any dangerous, fierce or vicious dog and/or cats so found at large cannot be safely taken up and impounded, such dog or cat may be slain by any policeman.
(e) The City Manager, assisted by the Police Department, is hereby authorized to implement a program for the trapping and humane elimination of feral cats, which animal problem Council finds to be a nuisance and a danger to public health. Any cat trapped pursuant to such program shall be impounded and, if it is clearly determined to be a feral cat and not a stray cat, the animal may be forthwith destroyed.
(Ord. 2012-10-3. Passed 11-13-12.)