(a)
The owner, keeper, or person in control of any cat or cats shall not keep such cat or cats in his/her possession nor allow such cat or cats to run unrestrained within the City of Teague without the cat or cats having affixed to it/them proof of current rabies vaccination.
(b)
A person commits an offense if the person fails or refuses to restrain a cat owned by the person and the animal is required to be restrained under this article.
(c)
An offense under subsection (b) shall be punishable as provided by Section 826.034 of the Texas Health and Safety Code.
(d)
Each unrestrained cat not having proof of current vaccination for rabies affixed to it shall be detained or impounded by the animal control officer.
(e)
Each unrestrained cat not having proof of current vaccination for rabies shall be impounded for a period of 72 hours. If the cat’s owner is known, the animal control officer shall notify the owner of the cat that it has been impounded.
(f)
If the owner of the cat is not known and no one claims the cat within 72 hours after the cat was impounded, the animal control officer shall make a humane disposition of such unclaimed cat.
(g)
If the owner of the cat has been notified of the impoundment of the cat but does not claim the cat within five (5) days after receiving such notice, the animal control officer shall make a humane disposition of such unclaimed cat.
(h)
If the owner of the cat, though known, cannot be located, written notice of such impoundment shall be mailed to the last known address of the owner. If the owner does not claim the cat within ten (10) days after such notice is mailed, the animal control officer shall make a humane disposition of the unclaimed cat.
(i)
Before a cat impounded under this article may be released, the owner must pay the fee for the impoundment and board of such cat. The fee shall be set by the board of aldermen from time to time by ordinance in the amount necessary to defray the cost of administering this article. The animal control officer shall deposit such fees collected in the treasury of the City of Teague. Such fees may be used to pay the contractor who has boarded the impounded cat for the city if the city uses a contractor. Furthermore, the person claiming the cat must provide proof of current vaccination of the cat for rabies. If the cat has not been vaccinated for rabies, the person claiming the cat must agree to have the cat vaccinated for rabies within ten (10) days after claiming the cat, and must provide proof of having complied with that agreement to the animal control officer within fifteen (15) days after claiming the cat. Failure to provide such proof within the allotted time shall be an offense punishable by a fine in accordance with the general penalty provision in Section 1.109 of this code.
(Ordinance 98-9-10A adopted 12/16/99; Ordinance adopting Code)