Fort Jones Municipal Code Ch. 6.24 Impoundment

(a) The animal control officer may seize and impound an animal which is at large as defined in section 6.04.010. If the owner or possessor is not at home at the time of impoundment, the dog may still be impounded, but the animal control officer shall post a notice of such impoundment, in the form specified in this chapter.

(b) Except as provided in subsection (a) of this section, an animal may be impounded for violation of any provisions of this chapter or state law in accordance with the procedure specified in section 6.24.020.

(c) Any person in violation of this section shall be guilty of an infraction and subject to the fines set by the bail schedule plus the cost of impoundment.

(Ord. No. 2021-1, exh. A(6.16.010), 3-8-2021)

The animal control officer may immediately seize and impound an animal for violation of this chapter or the laws of the state under the following circumstances:

(1) The owner or possessor of the animal provides consent for the impoundment;

(2) The animal is at large and immediate impoundment of an animal is authorized under section 6.08.020;

(3) The animal control officer has reasonable grounds to believe that the animal may be rabid;

(4) The animal control officer has reasonable grounds to believe that the animal is a vicious animal, as defined in section 6.04.010, and that immediate impoundment of the animal is required for any of the reasons specified in section 6.08.020;

(5) To protect an animal which is injured, sick, starving or suffering from heat, cold or confinement which is in need of immediate care; and

(6) When the animal control officer has reasonable grounds to believe that immediate impoundment to protect the public health or safety of any person or animal.

(Ord. No. 2021-1, exh. A(6.16.020), 3-8-2021)

The animal control officer shall, within 24 hours of the impoundment, serve in person or attach to the owner's door a notice of impoundment to the owner or possessor of the animal if the owner has been ascertained and located. The notice shall contain the information required by Government Code § 53074, including the following:

(1) The date of impoundment and the place where the animal is impounded;

(2) The grounds for impoundment;

(3) The period the animal will be held pursuant to section 6.24.040 before being humanely destroyed or otherwise disposed of.

(Ord. No. 2021-1, exh. A(6.16.030), 3-8-2021)

The animal control officer shall maintain a registry of impounded animals describing the type, sex and other identifying characteristics of the animals, the date of impoundment, if licensed, the license number of the dog, the date and manner of disposition of the animal, the name and address of the person redeeming.

(Ord. No. 2021-1, exh. A(6.16.040), 3-8-2021)

(a) Place of holding. Impounded animals shall be maintained at the town's containment facility, local veterinary clinic or any agency or person contracting with the town prior to disposition by the animal control officer.

(b) Abandoned animals. All unclaimed animals will be considered abandoned. All animals determined abandoned pursuant to the provisions of this section shall be disposed of in accordance with this title.

(c) Holding period. All dogs, licensed or unlicensed, shall be maintained a minimum of three days following the date of impoundment. All other animals shall be maintained a minimum of five days following the date of impoundment.

(d) Isolation of biting animals. At the discretion of the local health officer, any animal which bites a person shall be isolated in strict confinement for observation in a place and manner approved by the local health officer. Dogs shall be observed for at least 14 days and cats for at least ten days after the day of infliction of the bite, with the exception that dogs and cats which have been isolated in strict confinement under proper care and under observation of a licensed veterinarian, in a pound, veterinary hospital, or other adequate facility, in a manner approved by the local health officer, may be released from isolation by the local health officer after five days of veterinary observation if, upon conducting a thorough physical examination on the fifth day or more after infliction of the bite, the observing veterinarian certifies that there are no clinical signs or symptoms of any disease.

(e) Euthanasia of animals impounded for biting. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions, a local health officer may authorize, with permission of the owner and other legal restrictions permitting, the euthanasia of a biting animal for the purpose of laboratory examination for rabies using the fluorescent rabies antibody (FRA) test in an approved public health laboratory.

(f) Isolation of rabid animals or clinically suspected rabid animals. Any rabid animal or clinically suspected rabid animal shall be isolated in strict confinement under proper care and under the observation of a licensed veterinarian, in a pound, veterinary hospital, or other adequate facility in a manner approved by the local health officer, except where such responsibility has been delegated to a comparable officer by the governing body, and shall not be killed or released for at least ten days after the onset of symptoms suggestive of rabies, with the exception that such animals may be sacrificed with permission of the local health officer for the purpose of laboratory examination for rabies using the fluorescent rabies antibody (FRA) test in an approved public health laboratory.

(Ord. No. 2021-1, exh. A(6.16.050), 3-8-2021)

(a) The owner of an impounded animal shall have the right to redeem the animal any time after the provisions of this section have been met. The owner shall provide:

(1) Proper identification and proof of ownership of the animal;

(2) For impounded dogs, proof of a current town dog license or an application for dog license together with proof of current rabies vaccination, proof of spaying or neutering, and license and late fees, if any, as required in this title.

(b) Owner must pay impoundment fees and bail schedule fines together with any additional costs incurred by the town related to the impoundment, including, but not limited to, care, feeding and veterinary treatment of the animal.

(c) All fees shall be paid to the town clerk.

(Ord. No. 2021-1, exh. A(6.16.060), 3-8-2021)

(a) If an animal has not been claimed before the holding period specified in section 6.24.050 has expired, then the animal shall be considered unclaimed or abandoned.

(b) It is the duty of the animal control officer to ensure destruction of any animal lawfully impounded that is unclaimed or abandoned. The destruction procedure shall be humane and be done by a local veterinarian, agency or person contracting with the town for such services.

(c) Notwithstanding the foregoing, the animal control officer or any agency or person contracting for the impoundment of animals in the town may release the animal for adoption in the event the animal is abandoned or unclaimed.

(Ord. No. 2021-1, exh. A(6.16.080), 3-8-2021)