Modesto Municipal Code Art. 4 Miscellaneous

(Ord. 1284-C.S., Ord. 1546-C.S., repealed and reenacted by Ord. 2766-C.S., § 2, effective 7-4-91)

The Animal Control Center operated by the County of Stanislaus is hereby designated as the facility where animals shall be impounded and/or delivered for disposal under the provisions of this chapter.

(Added Ord. 2766-C.S., § 2, effective 7-4-91)

Persons employed by the City as Animal Control Officers are, subject to the control and direction of the Police Chief, hereby authorized and directed to enforce all of the provisions of this chapter. For such purpose, they shall have the power to arrest persons for violations of this chapter, as provided in Section 836.5 of the Penal Code of the State of California.

(Added Ord. 2766-C.S., § 2, effective 7-4-91)

Upon presentation of proper credentials, the Health Officer, the Police Chief or their duly authorized representatives may enter at reasonable times upon the yards of private property, but not into private buildings, when reasonably necessary to do so in order to enforce the provisions of this chapter.

(Added Ord. 2766-C.S., § 2, effective 7-4-91)

It shall be unlawful for any person to obstruct or interfere with any City of Modesto Animal Control Officer, or with any vehicle or equipment of such Animal Control Officer, when such Animal Control Officer is engaged in enforcing the provisions of this chapter.

(Added by Ord. 2766-C.S., § 2, effective 7-4-91)

(a) It shall be unlawful and a misdemeanor offense for any person who contains any stray animal (including cats) found at large or on their property to abandon the animal.

For the purposes of this section only the following definitions shall apply:

(1) "Contains" shall mean traps, corners, confines or in some manner restricts the animal's freedom from continuing to roam.

(2) "Stray animal" means an animal that is running loose and at large with no owner present, and/or an animal that is trespassing on another's property.

(3) "Abandons" means once the animal is contained, the person transports the animal to a location other than where it was originally contained and releases the animal to freely roam.

(b) Within twenty-four (24) hours after containing any such animal, the person doing so shall do one of the following:

(1) Release the animal where it was originally contained or return the animal to the owner, if the owner is known;

(2) Report to City of Modesto Animal Control officials the fact that such animal is contained and include the location where the animal is contained, a description of the animal and license number of such animal, if any; or

(3) Transport the animal to the Stanislaus Animal Services Agency facility and provide the date, time and location of when and where the animal was located when surrendering the animal to facility staff.

(c) Animal Control Officers shall pick up and dispose of such animal in the same manner as though such animal had been found at large and impounded.

(d) This section shall not be interpreted to apply to a person or organization registered with the Stanislaus Animal Services Agency as a caretaker for feral cats when that person is caring for feral cats.

(Added by Ord. No. 3585-C.S., § 1, effective 4-12-13)