An Article establishing dog microchipping and regulations.
(Ord. No. 310, June 9, 1977; Sec. 22-10.1, 1978 Cumulative Supplement; Ord. No. 1094, May 26, 2021)
For the purposes of this Article:
"At large"
means: (1) on the premises of a person other than an owner of the dog, without the consent of an occupant or owner of such premises; or (2) on a public street, on public or private school grounds, or in any other public place.
"Microchip" or "microchip identification"
means a device that is implanted under the skin of an animal that contains contact information for the owner of that animal.
"Officer"
means any sheriff, deputy, any member of the police force, and animal control officers.
"Owner"
means any person owning, harboring, or keeping a dog; providing care or sustenance for a dog; or having custody of a dog, whether temporarily or permanently. "Owner" does not include the Animal Quarantine Branch or Plant Quarantine Branch of the Department of Agriculture.
"Person"
includes corporations, estates, associations, partnerships and trusts, and one (1) or more individual human beings.
(Ord. No. 1094, May 26, 2021)
(a) 
It is unlawful for any person to be an owner of a dog over three (3) months of age unless the dog is microchipped.
(b) 
An owner shall have a microchip implanted in the owner's dog, and the owner shall register the microchip number and the owner's contact information with a microchip registration company.
(c) 
When the contact information of the owner of a dog changes, the owner shall provide the new contact information to the applicable microchip registration company no later than thirty (30) days after the change in contact information occurs.
(d) 
When the owner of a dog changes:
(1) 
The former owner shall inform the new owner with which microchip registration company the dog's microchip is registered; and
(2) 
The new owner shall provide the microchip registration company with the new owner's contact information no later than thirty (30) days after the change of ownership occurs.
(e) 
Every animal control contractor or nonprofit animal rescue organization shall implant a microchip in all stray dogs in its custody that do not have a microchip.
(f) 
All animal control contractors or nonprofit animal rescue organizations shall activate the microchip registration company's found pet alerts to notify owners whose pets' microchips are registered with that company.
(g) 
Veterinary clinics, animal shelters, and other animal rescue organizations that scan found pets for microchips shall release only the chip identification number to the finder upon request.
(Ord. No. 1094, May 26, 2021)
The Director of Finance shall authorize personnel of the Kaua'i Humane Society to issue microchips and collect contact information from microchips. Microchips shall be issued by the Kaua'i Humane Society upon payment of the twenty dollar ($20.00) microchip fee. All fees collected by personnel of the Kaua'i Humane Society shall be deposited with the Director of Finance on a quarterly basis. The Director of Finance shall regulate all activities involved in such collections.
(Ord. No. 310, June 9, 1977; Ord. No. 329, September 29, 1977; Sec. 22-10.4, 1978 Cumulative Supplement; Ord. No. 958, September 11, 2013; Ord. No. 1094, May 26, 2021)
Every officer shall seize any dog found running at large and shall confine it in a pound or any suitable enclosure for a period of forty-eight (48) hours, during which time it shall be subject to redemption by its owner. If not redeemed within the 48-hour hold period, the dog shall be sold by the officer or humanely destroyed.
To redeem a dog found at large without a microchip, the owner must pay to the officer for a microchip, an impoundment fee of twelve dollars ($12.00) per day for the number of days over the two (2) days that the dog was impounded, and a penalty of thirty dollars ($30.00) if the dog is altered or fifty dollars ($50.00) if the dog is unaltered.
To redeem a dog that is found at large with a microchip, the owner must pay to the officer an impoundment fee of twelve dollars ($12.00) per day for the number of days over the two (2) days that the dog was impounded and a penalty as follows:
No. of incidences occurring within 12 months of first incident
 
First
Second
Third
Fourth or more
Altered dog with a microchip
$20.00
$25.00
$30.00
$35.00
Unaltered dog with a microchip
$40.00
$45.00
$50.00
$55.00
Of the money received, the amount of the microchip shall be paid to the Director of Finance and the balance shall be retained by the officer to defray the expenses of collecting, keeping, and feeding the dog.
(Ord. No. 958, September 11, 2013; Ord. No. 998, February 11, 2016; Ord. No. 1094, May 26, 2021)