A.
The City Chief of Police is hereby authorized to establish an animal
control program and to designate one or more persons to perform the
duties of animal control officer. The animal control program shall
include the enforcement of the provisions of this chapter. The City
program shall operate in conjunction with, and with the support of,
the animal control program of the county.
B.
The animal control program shall be conducted in accordance with
the provisions of this chapter, policy guidelines established by the
City Council and approved annual appropriations.
The animal control program, under the direction of the Administrator
of Animal Control, shall enforce the provisions of this chapter with
respect to animal control and the prevention of cruelty to animals,
and shall conduct the following programs:
A.
A program of regular patrols and response to citizen complaints for
the purpose of taking into custody animals of all kinds running at
large.
B.
A program for the investigation of complaints of cruelty to animals,
and the enforcement of the cruelty prevention provisions of this chapter
and of state law.
Animal control officers are authorized and empowered to enforce
the provisions of this chapter as follows:
A.
By impounding animals found to be at large, injured or diseased.
B.
By issuing citations to persons in violation of those provisions
of this chapter declared to be municipal infractions.
C.
By issuing written complaints to the County Animal Control Commission
concerning any animal that is a public nuisance animal or against
any person in violation of provisions of the county laws not in conflict
with provisions of this chapter.
D.
By notifying the New Carrollton police of any violations or by appearing
before a magistrate to file complaints for violation of any provisions
of this chapter which are declared to be misdemeanors.
E.
By enforcing the cruelty prevention provisions of this chapter by
rescuing and impounding mistreated animals.
F.
By administering emergency veterinary assistance or first aid to
injured animals that come into the custody of the City, without the
consent of the owner or owners of such animals. For this purpose,
neither the individual animal control officer administering such emergency
assistance or first aid nor the City nor any of its employees or agents
shall be liable for acts committed or omitted in the course of rendering
such emergency assistance or first aid.
G.
By distributing printed animal control regulations and otherwise
providing animal control information to persons who own or may own
pets or other animals.
H.
By accepting abandoned animals coming into the control of the animal
control officer.
I.
By enforcing the provisions of this chapter as defined therein.
J.
When not engaged in animal control activities, the officer shall
be empowered and is expected to enforce the parking codes and ordinances
of the City as a parking enforcement officer.
Police officers of the City shall be authorized and empowered to perform all the duties of animal control officers as set forth in Article II of this code and shall enforce any provisions of this chapter which are misdemeanors. Code enforcement officers who are not police officers but are authorized to issue citations for violation of municipal infractions shall be authorized and empowered to perform all the duties of animal control officers.
The Prince George's Animal Control Commission shall be
the Animal Control Commission for the City for the purpose of taking
such animal control actions within the City as may be authorized by
the Prince George's County Code and which are not in conflict
with or exempted by the provisions of this chapter.
Accurate and detailed records of all impoundments and veterinary
treatment rendered; enforcement actions; and other activities relating
to animals and animal control undertaken shall be kept and maintained
for a period of three (3) years after each activity. The City Chief
of Police shall promulgate regulations prescribing the records to
be kept and the manner and method of their maintenance.
