The city council shall select and establish by contract an animal
shelter for the impoundment, maintenance, shelter, and destruction
of stray, diseased, or vicious animals.
(1987 Code, sec. 4-3)
Any police officer, animal control officer, or other person
designated by the authority may impound any stray animal found to
be running at large within the city limits, and may proceed beyond
the city limits in exigent circumstances as authorized by law, and
may impound any animal being kept in violation of this chapter, any
animal which is diseased and endangers the health of persons or other
animals, or any animal that has bitten a human or which has acted
in a fierce and vicious manner as described in this chapter. Such
persons may, under circumstances of emergency, destroy an animal posing
an imminent danger to person, property or other animals, impound or
destroy an animal that has bitten or scratched a person, or impound
for treatment or destroy an animal that is injured to a degree presenting
little or no likelihood of recovery.
(1987 Code, sec. 4-4)
(a)
As
soon as practicable, the shelter shall attempt to notify the owner
of any impounded animal. Any impounded cat or dog may be redeemed
by the payment of any fees, veterinary charges or vaccination fees
incurred during impoundment. If the animal is not redeemed after seventy-two
(72) hours the animal shall be deemed abandoned and may be placed
for adoption, or said animal may be humanely euthanized. Any impounded
animal that appears to be seriously ill, injured or visibly affected
by any sign of a communicable disease or to be a risk to other animals
in the shelter may be humanely euthanized before the end of the seventy-two-hour
waiting period.
(b)
An
individual may adopt an animal from the animal shelter under such
terms and conditions approved by the animal shelter.
(c)
Any
veterinary procedure, testing, or treatment for any animal in the
custody of the animal control authority shall be the expense of the
owner or person maintaining the animal.
(1987 Code, sec. 4-5)
An animal found running at large may be temporarily confined
in a humane manner. A person so confining an animal shall within twenty-four
(24) hours notify the animal control authority, and when so notified
the animal control officer may impound said animal and take actions
pursuant to this chapter.
(1987 Code, sec. 4-6)
