In addition to any other remedies provided in this chapter,
an animal control officer or a police officer, or any designated employee
of the city if an animal control officer is not available, may seize,
impound and humanely confine to an animal shelter or hospital any
of the following animals:
(1)
Any
animal at large;
(2)
Any
animal constituting a danger to the public;
(3)
Any
animal not wearing a collar to which a metal vaccination tag is clearly
attached;
(4)
Any
animal that is in violation of any quarantine or confinement order
of the city;
(5)
Any
unattended animal that is ill, injured, or otherwise in need of care;
(6)
Any
animal that is reasonably believed to have been abused or neglected;
(7)
Any
animal that is reasonably suspected of having rabies;
(8)
Any
animal that is charged with being potentially dangerous where an animal
control officer, a police officer, or other designated city employee
determines that there is a threat to public health and safety;
(9)
Any
animal that a court of competent jurisdiction has ordered impounded
or destroyed; or
(10)
Any animal that is considered unattended or abandoned, as in situations
where the owner is deceased, has been arrested or has been evicted
from his regular place of residence.
(1998 Code, sec. 2.401)
In the event of actual or immediate danger of injury to any
person because of an animal’s vicious nature or actions, or
in the event that an animal constitutes a threat to the health or
safety of people or other animals, and is about to elude capture,
the officer shall be justified in immediately destroying the animal
by the use of any reasonable means available, without liability to
the owner for the death of the animal.
(1998 Code, sec. 2.402)
(a)
Any
vicious animal or wild animal, other than an endangered species, that
has been impounded may be immediately disposed of as deemed appropriate
by the city.
(b)
Wild
animals trapped because they have become a nuisance may be transported
to less populated areas and released.
(1998 Code, sec. 2.403)
Any person finding an animal at large upon his property may
hold the animal in his own possession and shall notify the city. It
shall be the duty of the city to impound the animal.
(1998 Code, sec. 2.404)
If a dog or cat wearing a vaccination tag is impounded, an animal
service officer shall request the name and address of the owner from
the veterinarian who issued the tag. If the owner cannot be reached
readily by telephone, written notification shall be mailed to the
address furnished by the veterinarian.
(1998 Code, sec. 2.405)
An impounded dog or cat shall be released to its owner during
regular hours of operation upon payment of the fee as established
by the city council, and upon proof of ownership. Possession of a
vaccination certificate describing the dog or cat or bearing the same
serial number that appears on a metal tag worn by the dog or cat shall
be accepted as prima facie proof of ownership.
(1998 Code, sec. 2.406)
