Any animal shall be taken up and impounded at the Animal Control Center (or at such other place as may be approved by the Director) if, to the knowledge of the Chief of Animal Control, any of the following conditions exist:
1. 
Said animal is engaged in an activity or existing in a condition prohibited by this title;
2. 
Said animal is, or will be, without proper care due to the injury, illness, death, incarceration, or other involuntary absence of the owner or person responsible for the care of such animal; or
3. 
Said animal is required to be quarantined.
(Ord. 1053 § 27, 1969; SCC 0815 § 2, 1990)
An animal which has become subject to impoundment while off the property of its owner and has returned to the same shall not be impounded if the owner is present to accept a citation for the offense, unless, except as provided in Section 53074 of the California Government Code, a clear and present danger to public safety exists by virtue of the animal remaining upon the property.
(SCC 0815 § 2, 1990)
When an animal wearing a Sacramento County license is impounded, the Chief of Animal Control shall attempt to notify the owner of record by telephone or by mail of the date and place of impoundment or removal.
(SCC 0815 § 2, 1990)
a. 
All impounded dogs found wearing a current Sacramento County dog license tag shall be kept in the Animal Control Center or other authorized place of impoundment for a period of not less than seven calendar days after the day of impoundment unless redeemed within such period except as provided in Section 8.16.040 (e) of this title.
b. 
All impounded dogs not wearing a current Sacramento County dog license tag shall be kept in the Animal Control Center or other authorized place of impoundment for a period of not less than three calendar days after the day of impoundment unless redeemed within such period except as provided in Section 8.16.040 (e) of this title.
c. 
Any impounded animal which is of a type referred to in Section 17003 of the California State Agricultural Code shall be kept in the Animal Control Center for at least five calendar days unless it is redeemed within that period. If the animal is a bovine animal and is not redeemed, it shall be turned over to the State Bureau of Livestock Identification for disposition by that office.
d. 
Any animal impounded pursuant to Section 8.16.010 (2) of this title shall be kept in the Animal Control Center or other authorized place of impoundment for at least 14 calendar days.
e. 
Any other impounded animal shall be kept in the Animal Control Center for at least three calendar days after the day of impoundment unless it is redeemed within such period.
f. 
Any animal which is voluntarily surrendered to or deposited with the Chief of Animal Control by the owner shall not be deemed to be impounded and need not be kept or retained for any minimum period of time.
g. 
Any feral animal shall not be kept or retained for any minimum period of time.
(Ord. 1053 § 28, 1969; SCC 7 § 4, 1970; SCC 0815 § 2, 1990)
A. 
The owner of any animal impounded may, at any time before the expiration of the period of impoundment, redeem the animal by paying all fees and charges accrued provided, however, that if the animal is one which is subject to the licensing provisions of this title, the licensing requirements must be satisfied before the animal is released.
B. 
If the impounded animal is not currently vaccinated against rabies as required, and the owner has not previously been cited for failure to license the animal or the animal has not been previously impounded within the preceding 30 calendar days, the animal may be released to the owner upon payment of all fees required (including the license fee and penalty fee, if applicable) on condition that the owner shall:
1. 
Have the animal vaccinated for rabies in accordance with Section 8.20.040 of this title within 14 calendar days; and
2. 
Exhibit a valid certificate of such vaccination to the Director of Animal Care Services within 14 calendar days, at which time the license will be issued.
Otherwise, the subject animal must be vaccinated against rabies by a veterinarian designated by the Director of Animal Care Services prior to redemption and the cost of the vaccination and any other costs accrued accomplishing the vaccination, including additional impoundment fees, must be satisfied before the animal is released.
C. 
If the impounded animal was previously impounded and released, the animal may be released to the owner upon payment of all fees required (including the license fee and penalty fee, if applicable) on condition that the animal has been spayed or neutered prior to its release either by the Department or by a Department approved veterinarian designated by the owner and the cost of spaying or neutering the animal, including any additional impoundment fees, have been paid by the owner. The Director may release the animal without compliance with this subdivision if satisfied that impoundment was not occasioned by the fault or negligence of the animal's owner.
(Ord. 1053 § 28, 1969; SCC 0815 § 2, 1990; SCC 1000 § 1, 1995; SCC 1706 § 7, 2022)
a. 
Except as otherwise provided in this title, an impounded animal which is not redeemed within the applicable holding period specified in this title or an animal voluntarily surrendered to the Chief of Animal Control, except an animal that has been impounded for quarantine or is known to have bitten a human or to have demonstrated dangerous or vicious propensities, may, at the discretion of the Chief of Animal Control, be sold for its fair market value as determined by the Chief of Animal Control plus the applicable sales tax and upon reasonable conditions as the Chief of Animal Control finds appropriate or may be destroyed.
b. 
When any unsterilized dog or cat is to be sold pursuant to this section, prior to the delivery of the animal there shall be deposited by the purchaser with the Chief of Animal Control an amount of money which shall be for the payment to a veterinarian for spaying or neutering of the purchased animal. The amount of said deposit shall be designated by the Chief of Animal Control and shall cover the approximate average cost of spaying or neutering. The deposit shall be forwarded to the veterinarian or clinic or to the owner of the animal upon receipt by the Chief of Animal Control of a notice from the veterinarian or clinic that the animal has been spayed or neutered.
c. 
The provisions of this section shall not apply when dogs or cats are sold to established medical research facilities under a written agreement that upon completion of medical research any dog or cat purchased by the research facility will either be spayed or neutered prior to release from the premises of the medical research facility or will be euthanized.
d. 
When an animal is sold, the receipt issued by the Chief of Animal Control shall be valid title to the purchaser.
e. 
Notwithstanding any other provision of this title to the contrary, an impounded animal which is determined by the Chief of Animal Control or the Health Officer to constitute a health hazard or which is critically injured or ill may be destroyed or otherwise disposed of as ordered by the Chief of Animal Control upon the concurrence of the Health Officer or a licensed veterinarian.
(Ord. 1053 § 30, 1969; SCC 7 § 5, 1970; SCC 164 § 1, 1974; SCC 178 § 1, (part) 1974; SCC 257 § 1, 1976; SCC 0815 § 2, 1990)
a. 
When it is necessary for the impoundment of livestock or large quadruped animals to utilize specialized hauling equipment, the owner of the animals shall be charged a livestock hauling fee.
b. 
A schedule of fees for hauling livestock shall be established by the Chief of Animal Control. Such schedule of fees shall reflect the approximate cost of impounding and hauling the livestock or other large animals including labor and transportation.
(SCC 7 § 6, 1970; SCC 260 § 1, 1976; SCC 0815 § 2, 1990)
The Director of Animal Care Services shall charge and collect fees for every impounded animal whether or not the animal is claimed. Fees must be paid prior to release of an impounded animal; except that, in the event of undue hardship, the Director of Animal Care Services may accept the promissory note of the owner or other responsible party. The amount of said fees shall be established as provided in Section 8.08.090 of this title.
(Ord. 1053 § 31, 1969; SCC 164 § 2, 1974; SCC 486 § 2, 1981; SCC 0815 § 2, 1990; SCC 0999 § 5, 1995; SCC 1706 § 8, 2022)
No liability shall be incurred for the disposition of any animal made pursuant to the provisions of this title.
(Ord. 1053 § 32, 1969; SCC 0815 § 2, 1990)
Upon the recommendation of the Chief of Animal Control to the Director and with the approval of the Board of Supervisors, the fees provided for by this title may be waived when animals have been impounded because of civic disorganization, disruption or other conditions of civil emergency or because of devastation due to fire, flood, earthquake, storm or other natural calamity.
(SCC 87 § 1, 1972; SCC 0815 § 2, 1990)
The Director may authorize the Chief of Animal Control to waive, in full or in part, fees, exclusive of licensing or permit fees, if necessary to accomplish the protection of animal or public health, safety, or welfare or if the owner provides satisfactory evidence that he or she was not at fault, explicitly or implicitly, for the impoundment or keeping of the animal at the Animal Control Center.
(SCC 0815 § 2, 1990)