(a) 
The animal control officer is authorized to take up all animals found not to be restrained and impound such animals in the animal shelter. All such animals shall be confined in a humane manner.
(b) 
It shall be unlawful for any person to tamper with any trap or traps used by the city, or to tamper with any cage, pen, enclosure, or any other equipment pertaining to animals located at the animal shelter or any other place that the city may use for keeping animals.
(Ordinance 124, sec. 15, adopted 4/27/21)
Where the ownership of an animal, found not to be restrained, is known, a notice of such violation may be issued by the animal control officer or his designee to such owner. Upon issuance of any such notice, the animal control officer or his designee shall file a complaint with the municipal court and request that the violator be summoned to appear in the municipal court and answer such charges.
(Ordinance 124, sec. 18, adopted 4/27/21)
(a) 
Payment of fees.
Any animal impounded under the provisions of this article may be reclaimed by the owner upon the payment of all impoundment fees.
(b) 
Unvaccinated animals.
Any animal over the age of four (4) months which does not have a current rabies vaccination may not be redeemed, transferred or adopted until it has been vaccinated as required in this chapter.
(Ordinance 124, sec. 20, adopted 4/27/21)
(a) 
After the requirements of notice as set forth in section 3.03.002 and the expiration of three (3) days, any impounded animal that is unclaimed or unredeemed shall become the property of the city, which shall have the following powers:
(1) 
Authority as to ownership.
The animal control officer may transfer ownership of any impounded animal that is unclaimed or unredeemed. In the event of such transfer of ownership, the person or agency to whom ownership is transferred shall pay for such animal’s food and care while in the animal shelter and shall comply with the applicable vaccination requirements.
(2) 
Right to destroy.
The animal control officer or designee may humanely destroy an impounded animal that is unclaimed or unredeemed. No person may put to death a dog, cat or other small domestic animal in the custody of the animal control officer by shooting except in emergency field conditions, by clubbing, by a decompression chamber, by carbon monoxide, or by poison. All dogs, cats and small domestic animals shall be destroyed by administering of an approved drug. This chapter applies to the destruction of domestic animals by the animal control officer, in accordance with House Bill 309.
(3) 
Transfer of ownership to Humane Society.
The animal control officer may transfer ownership of any impounded animal that is unclaimed or unredeemed to a Humane Society or animal rescue group.
(b) 
Donated, sick, unweaned or injured animals.
(1) 
The animal control officer may destroy any animal by a humane method if the animal is unweaned, so sick or injured that injured [its cure] is considered by the animal control officer to be impracticable, or if death is imminent, and in any of such events such destruction may be done immediately without notice of any waiting period.
(2) 
In the case of donated animals, immediate destruction of the animal is permitted.
(Ordinance 124, sec. 21, adopted 4/27/21; Ordinance adopting 2023 Code)