Mammoth Lakes Municipal Code Ch. 6.08 Animal Control Officer

The Town has established the position of animal control officer who shall be appointed by the Town Manager and shall provide the Town's animal control services. The animal control officer may have such assistants as the Town Manager may authorize. In the absence of an appointed animal control officer, animal control services shall be provided by the personnel of the Town Police Department. Any reference in this chapter to the duties of the animal control officer shall also mean duties of Town Police Department personnel in the absence of an appointed animal control officer.

(Code 1990, § 6.08.010; Ord. No. 21-02, § 1(exh. A), 2-3-2021)

(a) The animal control officer is charged with the duty to enforce the provisions of this chapter and any law of the State relating to the care, treatment and impounding of animals, and is authorized to issue citations for violations of the laws and provisions in accordance with Penal Code § 836.5.

(b) The animal control officer shall wear a metallic badge while performing their duties in the field.

(c) When acting in the course and scope of their employment or contracted duties, the animal control officer is authorized to carry firearms or weapons of a type and caliber approved by the Police Chief. The Police Chief may issue determinations concerning when and under what circumstances the animal control officer shall be deemed to be acting in the course and scope of their employment for purposes of carrying firearms or other weapons. The animal control officer shall receive initial and recurrent training in the use of any type of firearm or weapon approved for use by the Police Chief in order to establish and ensure satisfactory proficiency in the use of such weapons commensurate with the safety and welfare of the general public.

(Code 1990, § 6.08.020; Ord. No. 21-02, § 1(exh. A), 2-3-2021)

The animal control officer may pick up and impound animals, including wildlife, as provided in this title and the other ordinances and laws, including State law, relating to animals. The position may respond to calls for assistance with conditioning and controlling wildlife; monitor wildlife activities; contact aggressive or wild animals (i.e., bears, deer, domesticated animals); use lethal and non-lethal weapons against bears; quarantine animals; write reports; issue citations; register animals; work with animal shelters; euthanize animals; and provide information to the Town in efforts to meet wildlife management goals and objectives.

(Code 1990, § 6.08.030; Ord. No. 21-02, § 1(exh. A), 2-3-2021)

When the animal control officer is authorized to impound any animal under the provisions of this title, they shall have the authority in the exercise of a sound discretion to shoot any such animal which attacks them while they are in the act of seizing it for impounding and to shoot any dog at large which has no known owner or home and which cannot be safely caught, subject to compliance with the Police Department's policy regarding the discharge of firearms at animals, and further subject to compliance with applicable statutes, regulations, policies and/or guidelines issued by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.

(Code 1990, § 6.08.040; Ord. No. 21-02, § 1(exh. A), 2-3-2021)