A. The sheriff and his or her deputies, and every constable and his or her deputies, all rabies control officers and assistant rabies control officers, and every poundkeeper, and also any person employed or designated for that purpose by the city council are authorized and empowered to:
1. Capture, receive, take up and impound:
a. Any dog or other animal found running at large in violation of this code or of any law of the state of California,
b. Any dog or other animal which is molesting any person,
c. Any dog which is molesting or harassing animals, birds, pets upon the premises of any person,
d. Any animal including wild animals or birds being kept or maintained within a person’s premises in violation of this code of any law of the state of California,
e. Stray, unwanted or abandoned animals,
f. Dogs which are unlicensed and unvaccinated in violation of this code,
g. Animals delivered for disposition, after the owner has paid the required fee and released all title and interest in the animal by signing of the form provided by the health officer for this purpose,
h. Animals for which the owner or custodian is unable to care because of imprisonment, illness, bankruptcy, litigation or other contingency, or in cases in which the owner or custodian cannot be found;
2. Regularly and adequately feed, water and otherwise care for all dogs impounded under the provisions of this code, or to provide for such feed and watering;
3. Receive, take up and impound any sick or injured dog or cat whose owner is unknown or unidentified; to humanely destroy any such injured dog or cat, when, in the
opinion of the officer or a licensed veterinarian, such destruction is necessary and humane; and to make proper disposition of such animal. Should an injured or destroyed dog be an identified dog, then the owner of the dog shall be immediately notified of its injury or destruction;
4. Do and perform any other acts necessary to carry out the provisions of this code and of the laws of the state of California relating to dogs.
B. The officer having custody of any impounded dog may, by humane methods, summarily destroy the same if:
1. The dog is suffering from any incurable or contagious disease as certified to by a licensed veterinarian and with approval from the chief, animal disease control branch;
2. It is an unlicensed vicious dog;
3. The animal is in the field and it is too severely ill or injured to move or where a veterinarian is not available and it would be more humane to dispose of the animal and the destruction is approved by the health officer; or
4. The animal is in the act of killing, wounding or persistently pursuing a human being.
C. Any officer having in his or her custody any unlicensed, impounded dog or cat not suffering from any infectious or communicable disease may release the same to any adult person who will pay the pound fees and charges as specified in the city fee schedule and, if a resident of any unincorporated area, will also pay for rabies vaccination and license fees if it is a dog that such resident has bought. Only male cats will be sold.
D. All the provisions of this code pertaining to impounded, unlicensed dogs, except the licensing provisions thereof, shall apply to impounded cats.
E. The poundkeeper or any duly authorized person shall have the right to reserve and dispose of dogs or cats delivered into his possession by the owners thereof and shall charge a specified fee for each dog, cat, puppy or kitten delivered into his custody.
F. Any impounded animal which has not been redeemed or sold and would normally have been destroyed in accordance with this chapter may, upon payment of the necessary fee, be released from the animal shelter to an agency which has been approved by the California State Department of Public Health, the health officer, and the chief of the animal disease control branch to obtain animals for medical research.
G. Any impounded animal which has not been redeemed or sold may be disposed of by euthanasia in accordance with state and county laws. (Ord. 248 § 4, 2005; Ord. 163 § 7(B), 1997)