There is created the position of animal control officer. The Inyo County sheriff is designated as animal control officer. The animal control officer may have such assistants as are deemed necessary. The animal control officer is authorized to appoint any assistants on a full or part-time basis, and all salaries and expenses of such assistants shall be set or approved by the board of supervisors and shall constitute a county charge, payable out of the general fund of the county, and provided for in the annual budget for the sheriff's department.
(Ord. 499 § 1, 1983; Ord. 1079 § 4(A), 2004)
A. 
The animal control officer and his deputies are designated as public officers and employees of the county, charged with the duty to enforce the provisions of this chapter, all of Title 8 of this code, and any law of the state relating to the care, treatment and impounding of animals, and are authorized to issue citations for violations of said laws and provisions in accordance with Section 836.5 of the Penal Code of the state.
B. 
Each such person, while performing his respective duties, may wear a metallic badge of a size and design to be determined by the animal control officer. In the event that the animal control officer must perform his duty and is not wearing his badge, he must carry his county identification card upon his person and display it to any person requesting identification.
C. 
The animal control officer and his deputies, when acting in the course and scope of their employment, are authorized to carry, in county vehicles, firearms or weapons of a type and caliber approved by the sheriff. Each animal control deputy shall receive initial and recurrent training in the use of any type of firearm or weapon approved for use by the sheriff, in order to establish and assure satisfactory proficiency in the use of such weapons commensurate with the safety and welfare of the general public.
(Ord. 499 § 2, 1983; Ord. 1079 § 4(B), 2004)