Any city enforcement agent shall cause all animals within the city that may be found at-large as described in section 2-1-6, tethered as described in section 2-1-7, requiring quarantine as per section 2-1-8, or found in conditions in violation of sections 2-1-18 or 2-1-19 to be impounded in the city animal services facility.
(Ordinance 2023-26 adopted 10/10/2023)
(a) 
Any livestock impounded in accordance with section 2-4-1 shall be sold by the animal services officer at public auction after eighteen (18) days' notice of estray. Such notice shall be by posting written notices in two (2) public places within the city, one (1) of which shall be at the courthouse. The notice shall describe the animal impounded, the name and address of the person who reported the estray to the city animal control, the location of the stray when found, and the location of the stray until disposition.
(b) 
If it is unreasonable, because of the condition of health or probable value of the animal or fowl, to give eighteen (18) days' public notice before the sale, the animal services officer shall give such notice of sale as he/she considers reasonable. Such notice shall be given in the manner described above.
(c) 
Notwithstanding the above provisions, the animal services officer shall not be required to sell any such animal for less than the reasonable expenses incurred by the city in impounding, boarding and selling such animal. In addition, at his/her discretion, the animal services officer may withhold from sale any animals if he/she determines that the bids for such animals are below their market value. In cases involving livestock, the animal services officer shall be free to reoffer them for sale in accordance with the provisions of this section or he/she may sell them at a commercial auction.
(d) 
The animal services officer shall make a bill of sale or receipt for each animal sold to the purchaser thereof and shall report monthly the amount of money collected to the city.
(Ordinance 2023-26 adopted 10/10/2023)
(a) 
Upon impounding or receiving any dog or cat, the animal services officer or kennel attendant shall scan the dog or cat for microchip identification, check the dog or cat for identification tattoos, and then make a complete registry, entering the breed, color and sex of such dog or cat, the place and time at which it was taken into custody, whether it has a microchip or tattoo identification, and whether it is licensed.
(b) 
If the animal has microchip or tattoo identification or is licensed, the animal services officer or kennel attendant shall also enter the name, address and other contact information of the owner and the identification number of the license tag, tattoo, or microchip.
(c) 
The animal services facility shall make a reasonable effort to inform the owner or harborer of such dog or other animal so impounded of the conditions whereby such dog or other animal may be redeemed.
(Ordinance 2023-26 adopted 10/10/2023)
(a) 
Any licensed dog or cat which is impounded at stray and cannot be identified as having an owner by microchip, license, etc. on intake becomes the property of the city. The animal will be held for three (3) days to provide a reasonable effort for the owner to locate the animal. If attempts have failed, the animal will be humanely euthanized, adopted, sent to rescue, or transferred to another agency. The animal services facility shall keep a record of the disposition of each dog or cat.
(b) 
In the event the animal is seriously injured or has any contagious disease which can be transmitted to other animals or to a person or has displayed aggression or violence towards any person, animal, or fowl, the holding period will be waived. After reasonable efforts to notify the owner, if known, have failed, the animal will be humanely euthanized.
(c) 
Before an owner can redeem an animal that has a contagious disease, the owner must agree to provide the treatment to cure the animal of the contagious disease and be provided with a written agreement will be signed by the owner. An animal services officer will transport the contagious animal to the vet who has agreed to treat the animal. Pursuant to chapter 54 of title 7 of the United States Code, dogs or cats that are sold to a dealer shall be cared for and held for a period of five (5) days.
(d) 
Animals may be transferred to a humane organization, so long as the humane organization agrees to vaccinate and sterilize the animal and notify animal control.
(Ordinance 2023-26 adopted 10/10/2023; Ordinance 2024-10 adopted 3/12/2024)
The owner of any impounded dog or cat, subject to the provisions contained in this chapter, may redeem same at any time prior to its sale or destruction by paying the fees described in section 2-1-3 together with any other fees required by the provisions of this chapter.
(Ordinance 2023-26 adopted 10/10/2023)
(a) 
Whenever an unlicensed dog or cat is sold in accordance with section 2-4-4 or redeemed in accordance with section 2-4-5, such owner or purchaser shall be required to pay the prescribed rabies vaccination fee to the animal services facility. The animal services facility shall maintain control/custody of the animal until such time as a rabies vaccination is administered or have provided a scheduled vaccination date. In addition, the owner or purchaser of any dog or cat shall be provided a vaccination-license certificate for such dog or cat at the time of such sale or redemption.
(b) 
No animal shall be eligible for adoption unless spayed or neutered. The animal shelter provides for spay or neutering of animals prior to release for adoption. The cost of these services is included in the adoption fee.
(c) 
No animal shall be eligible for redemption unless spayed or neutered. The animal shelter provides for spay or neutering of animals prior to release for redemption. The cost of these services shall be paid by the owner along with the impound fees.
(d) 
If the animal adopted or redeemed is less than four (4) months of age the adoption owner or owner of the redeemed animal must agree to enter into and comply with the adoption contract which will designate a period of time in which the spay/neuter procedure is to be performed at their cost.
(1) 
Should the adopted/redeemed animal be lost or die before the surgery conditions as set forth in the contract have been complied with, such loss or death shall be reported in person or by mail to the animal shelter no later than seven (7) days from its occurrence.
(e) 
In cases where a dog or cat was adopted from the shelter and impounded, the shelter shall keep the dog or cat from redemption by its owner if the owner has not complied with the surgery conditions of the contract as stated in this section. The adoption contract shall set forth this requirement and provide for the title to revert to the city in the event that the dog or cat is impounded.
(f) 
It is an exception to the requirements of subsection (a) or (b) if the animal to be adopted or redeemed is:
(1) 
Less than four (4) months of age;
(2) 
A licensed veterinarian certifies that the animal should not be spayed/neutered for health reasons;
(3) 
A licensed veterinarian certifies that the animal is permanently nonfertile; or
(4) 
Released to a registered 501(c)(3) rescue group approved by the animal shelter supervisor.
(Ordinance 2023-26 adopted 10/10/2023)
To adopt a dog or cat from the animal shelter, the adopter shall pay the applicable adoption fee as prescribed in section 2-1-3 of this chapter.
(Ordinance 2023-26 adopted 10/10/2023)
(a) 
It shall be unlawful for any person or owner to keep, possess, harbor, have control or custody, or maintain dogs and/or cats without having a microchip identification implanted in each of their animal(s) or those they care for.
(b) 
As provided in section 2-4-3, all animals impounded or received by the animal services facility shall be scanned for microchip identification.
(c) 
No animal shall be eligible for adoption unless the animal is implanted with a microchip for identification, and the identification code of that chip will be entered into the animal's file at the animal service facility. The animal services facility provides for microchipping of animals prior to release for adoption. The cost of these services is included in the adoption fee.
(d) 
No animal shall be eligible for redemption unless the animal is implanted with a microchip for identification, and the identification code of that chip will be entered into the animal's file at the animal services facility. The animal services facility provides for microchipping of animals prior to release for redemption. The cost of these services shall be paid by the owner along with the impound fees.
(e) 
All owners and adopters of animals shall be provided with detailing the process for registration of the microchip with the online microchip identification database. It shall be the responsibility of the owner or adopter to enter all the required information for the animal and to make any subsequent updates to this information with the microchipping company.
(f) 
A recognized adoption placement partner organization shall comply with the requirements of this section by either allowing the animal services facility to implant a microchip and paying the microchipping fee or implanting a microchip using their own resources and microchip devices prior to releasing the animal for adoption and providing confirmation to the animal services facility. It shall be the responsibility of the adoption placement partner organization to ensure the final animal adopter's information is input into the online microchip database.
(g) 
It is an exception to the requirements of this section if the animal to be adopted or redeemed is under the age of four months or has a high likelihood of suffering serious bodily injury if implanted with a microchip due to the health condition of the animal and the owner provides to the animal services facility written confirmation of this fact from a licensed veterinarian.
(Ordinance 2023-26 adopted 10/10/2023)
If, at the time of the sale of any impounded animal in accordance with the preceding sections, the owner has not redeemed such animal and no purchaser can be found for the same, the animal services officer shall euthanize or otherwise dispose of such animal. In the event the animal is euthanized, the animal services officer shall dispose of the carcass in such place and manner as may be appropriate for such purpose.
(Ordinance 2023-26 adopted 10/10/2023)