The operator or custodian of the pound shall make a reasonable effort to ascertain if any dog running at large in the County has a collar, tag, license or tattooed identification. If such identification is found on the animal, a reasonable effort shall be made to return the animal to its owner before proceeding further under other provisions of this chapter or of state law.
A. 
It shall be unlawful for the owner of any dog to permit or allow such dog to run or be at large within the County. For the purposes of this section, a dog shall be deemed to be "at large" while roaming, running or self-hunting off the property of its owner or custodian and not under its owner's or custodian's immediate control.
B. 
This section shall not apply to any person while engaged in a supervised, formal obedience training class or show, or during formally sanctioned field trials, or while engaged in lawful hunting with a dog during open season or during bona fide hunting or field trial dog training. It shall be unlawful for the owner of a dog to place such dog or allow it to be placed in the custody of any other person not physically capable of maintaining effective control of such dog.
C. 
All animals within any County park or recreation area must remain on a leash at all times, and under control of the handler at all times.
[Added 11-14-2007 by Ord. No. 2007-16]
D. 
All animals are prohibited from children's play areas within any County park or recreation area, and these areas shall be marked with signs indicating an animal-free area. Children's areas are defined as playgrounds, including a ten-foot perimeter from the edge the playground, as well as all fenced ballfields, including dugouts, warm-up areas, and bleachers.
[Added 11-14-2007 by Ord. No. 2007-16]
E. 
All animal owners shall clean up and properly dispose of animal waste at all County park and recreation areas.
[Added 11-14-2007 by Ord. No. 2007-16]
A. 
It shall be the duty of the animal control officer or other officer to take in charge any dog found running at large in violation of § 62-12 and to hold such dog at the County pound or animal shelter for a period of not less than five days, such period to commence on the day immediately following the day the dog is initially confined unless sooner claimed by the owner thereof. The operator or custodian of the pound shall make a reasonable effort to ascertain if the dog has a collar, tag, license, tattoo or other form of identification. If such identification is found on the dog, a reasonable effort shall be made to return the dog to its owner or place the dog for adoption before humanely destroying the dog. No dog with identification may be disposed of by sale or gift to a federal agency, state-supported institution, agency of the commonwealth or agency of another state. An additional five-day holding period shall be added to the holding period described above for any dog with a collar, tag, license, tattoo or other form of identification.
B. 
During the period of impoundment of a dog under this section, if the rightful owner may be readily identified the animal control officer shall notify the owner of the dog's confinement within 48 hours next following its confinement or conduct a diligent search to determine ownership of the dog. Accurate records shall be kept to document each attempt that is made to identify the owner and notify him of the impoundment.
C. 
Either a custodian of a dog or an individual who has found a dog may qualify as owner and may claim the dog by expressing his desire, in writing, to claim the dog at the expiration of the five-day period set out herein after payment of the required adoption and license fee. A rightful owner claiming a dog impounded under this section shall, in order to obtain its release, pay to the County an impoundment fee as established from time to time, plus $5 for each day that the dog is confined at the pound, which amount reflects the expenses incurred in keeping the dog impounded. If the animal impounded is a large domestic animal, the rightful owner shall, in order to obtain its release, pay to the County the impoundment fee, plus $8 for each day that the animal is confined at the pound, which amount reflects the expenses incurred in keeping the animal impounded. If a livestock trailer is required to transport large domestic animal(s) for impoundment, a hauling fee as established from time to time per trip will be charged to the rightful owner, in addition to the above fees.
D. 
If a dog impounded under this section has not been claimed by and released to its owner within the five-day period referred to in Subsection A above, it shall be deemed abandoned and become the property of the pound. If such abandoned animal did not bear a collar, tag, license, tattoo or other form of identification when delivered to the animal pound, it may be humanely destroyed or disposed of by sale or gift to a federal agency, state-supported institution, agency of the commonwealth or agency of another state, provided that such agency or institution agrees to confine the animal for an additional period of not less than five days or by delivery to any local humane society or shelter or to any person who is a resident of the County and who will pay the required license tax on such dog; provided, however, that no dog shall be delivered to a laboratory for research purposes. Such dog may also be delivered to any person who proposes to adopt it as a pet and who will pay the required license tax on it, provided that no more than two animals or a family of animals shall be delivered during any thirty-day period to any one such person.
E. 
No provision in this section shall prohibit the destruction by the animal control officer of a critically injured or critically ill animal for humane purposes. Any animal destroyed pursuant to the provisions of this section shall be euthanized by one of the methods described or approved by the state veterinarian. Neither shall any provision in this section prohibit the destruction, for humane purposes, of any animal not weaned, whether or not the animal is critically injured or critically ill.
F. 
Nothing in this section shall prohibit any animal not bearing a collar, tag, tattoo or other form of identification which, based on the written certification of a disinterested person, exhibits behavior that poses a risk of physical injury to any person confining the animal, from being euthanized after being kept for a period of not less than three days, at least one of which shall be a full business day, such period to commence on the day the animal is initially confined in the pound, unless sooner claimed by the rightful owner. The certification of the disinterested person shall be kept with the animal as required by § 3.1-796.105, of the Code of Virginia. For purposes of this subsection, a disinterested person shall not include a person releasing or reporting the animal to the pound. Whenever the word "pound" is used in this article it shall be deemed to mean either "pound" or "animal shelter."
The owner of a kennel shall securely fasten the license tag to the kennel enclosure in full view and keep one of the identification plates provided therewith attached to the collar of each dog authorized to be kept enclosed in the kennel. Any identification plates not so in use must be kept by the owner or custodian and promptly shown to any animal control officer or other law enforcement officer upon request.
A kennel dog shall not be permitted to stray beyond the limits of the kennel enclosure, but this restriction shall not operate to prohibit dogs from being temporarily removed from the kennel while under the control of the owner or custodian to exercise, hunt, breed, show or to engage in field trials.