[Code 1991, § 4-11]
The operator or custodian of the pound shall make a reasonable effort to ascertain if any dog or other animal running at large in the City 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 or place the animal for adoption before humanely destroying the animal. Such animal may not be disposed of by sale or gift to a federal or state agency or a licensed federal dealer. Such identified animal shall be held for five days more than the holding period prescribed in §
14-31, unless sooner claimed by the rightful owner. If the rightful owner of any animal confined may be readily identified, the operator or custodian of the pound shall make a reasonable effort to notify the owner of the animal's confinement within the next 48 hours following its confinement. At the expiration of the holding period required for such identified animal, the animal may be delivered to any resident who proposes to adopt it as a pet and who will pay the required license fee, if any, on the animal or to any humane society or animal shelter, or to a resident of an adjacent political subdivision of the commonwealth; however, no more than two animals or a family of animals shall be delivered during any thirty-day period to any one such person.
[Code 1991, § 4-12]
Any feral dog or feral cat 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, may be 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 to the facility, unless
sooner claimed by the rightful owner. The certification of the disinterested
person shall be kept with the animal, as required by Code of Virginia,
§ 3.2-6557. For purposes of this section, a disinterested
person shall not include a person releasing or reporting the animal
to the facility.
[Code 1991, § 4-13]
No provision of this article shall prohibit the immediate destruction
of a critically injured or critically ill animal for humane purposes.
Any animal destroyed pursuant to the provisions of this chapter shall
be euthanized by one of the methods prescribed or approved by the
state veterinarian. No provision of this article shall prohibit the
immediate destruction, for humane purposes, of any animal not weaned,
whether or not the animal is critically injured or critically ill.
[Code 1991, § 4-15]
For purposes of this article, the term "animal" shall not include
agricultural animals, the term "rightful owner" shall mean a person
with a right of property in the animal, and the term "humane society,"
when referring to an organization without the commonwealth, shall
mean any nonprofit organization organized for the purpose of preventing
cruelty to animals and promoting humane care and treatment or adoption
of animals.