Arcata Municipal Code Art. 3 Impoundment

The Animal Control Officer shall receive, take up and impound any and all dogs found running at large contrary to the provisions of Article 2 or in violation of any law of the County or the State.

No dog, which is to be kept or harbored within the City, shall be released from the dog pound unless it is duly licensed as required by Article 2.

Upon impounding a licensed dog, the Animal Control Officer shall immediately give notice to the owner, at the address in the license, of the impounding of such dog. Such notice may be given as provided in this Code.

Upon impoundment of an unlicensed dog, the Animal Control Officer shall immediately give notice to the owner, if known, of the impounding of such dog.

Any licensed impounded dog may be redeemed by the owner thereof within four (4) business days after it is impounded. (Ord. 1582, eff. 10/9/2025)

Any unlicensed impounded dog may be redeemed within four (4) business days after it is impounded. (Ord. 1582, eff. 10/9/2025)

No impounded dog shall be redeemed except upon payment of a pound fee in such sum as may be established from time to time by resolution of the City Council.

The Animal Control Officer may, by humane methods, summarily destroy:

(1) Any impounded dog that is suffering from an incurable, dangerous or contagious disease;

(2) Any impounded unlicensed vicious dog;

(3) Any impounded licensed dog that is not redeemed within four (4) business days from the date of the notice given under Section 5253 of this Code, not including the day of impoundment. The dog shall, before the euthanasia of that animal, be released to a nonprofit, as defined in Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, animal rescue, or adoption organization if requested by the organization before the scheduled euthanasia of that animal;

(4) Any impounded unlicensed dog that is not redeemed within four (4) business days after notice has been given under Section 5254 of this Code, not including the day of impoundment. The dog shall, before the euthanasia of that animal, be released to a nonprofit, as defined in Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, animal rescue, or adoption organization if requested by the organization before the scheduled euthanasia of that animal. (Ord. 1582, eff. 10/9/2025)

If any licensed impounded dog is not redeemed within four (4) business days from the date of the notice given under Section 5253 of this Code the Animal Control Officer may sell such dog. (Ord. 1582, eff. 10/9/2025)

If any impounded unlicensed dog is not redeemed within four (4) business days after notice has been given under Section 5254 of this Code, the Animal Control Officer may sell such dog. (Ord. 1582, eff. 10/9/2025)

No unredeemed dog shall be sold pursuant to this Article for any amount in excess of accumulated fees levied pursuant to Section 5257.

No impounded dog shall be sold if it has been determined to be vicious or if while the same is suffering from any infectious or communicable disease.

Whenever the Animal Control Officer sells any impounded or unredeemed dog, he shall issue a bill of sale to the purchaser thereof, which bill of sale shall operate to vest complete title of the dog in such purchaser.