Article 7 — ANIMAL IMPOUNDMENT

Editor's note— Section 1 of Ord. No. 2836, adopted May 6, 1975, repealed former art. 7, §§ 4-1-113—4-1- 116, pertaining to dangerous animals and derived from Code 1961, §§ 41.071—41.074. Section 8 of said ordinance enacted a new art. 7, §§ 4-1-105—4-1-111, as herein set out.

The Director or his deputies may take into custody:

(a)

Any animal kept or maintained contrary to the provisions of the Codified Ordinances of Orange County, any regulation adopted thereunder, or any California statute.

(b)

Animals running at large contrary to the provisions of this division or any statute.

(c)

Sick, injured, stray, unwanted animals, for which the owner or custodian cannot be found or is unable or unwilling to provide proper care.

(d)

Animals quarantined for which no other place of quarantine is acceptable to the Director.

(e)

Animals delivered or requested to be impounded by a peace officer, or public officer or employee as defined in Penal Code section 836.5.

(f)

Any wild animal found to be at large upon any public property, or upon request of the owner or tenant, found to be at large upon private property.

(g)

Animals impounded pursuant to section 4-1-95.

(h)

Any other animal authorized to be impounded under this division.

The Director may place animals which he takes into custody in the County Animal Shelter or other facility designated by him, except that animals impounded pursuant to subparagraph (f) above, may be summarily destroyed.

(Ord. No. 2836, § 8, 5-6-75; Ord. No. 2908, § 1, 5-4-76)

No person shall, without the consent of the owner, hold or retain possession of any animal for more than twenty-four (24) hours without first reporting the possession of such animal to the Director, giving his name and address and a true description of the animal, and then surrendering such animal to the Director upon demand.

(Ord. No. 2836, § 8, 5-6-75; Ord. No. 2908, § 1, 5-4-76)

No person shall remove any animal from the custody of the Director or from a County Animal Shelter without permission from the Director to do so.

(Ord. No. 2836, § 8, 5-6-75)

Except as otherwise provided by State law or article 8 of this division, when any animal, other than an animal abandoned by its owner, is impounded pursuant to this division, the Director shall, within twelve (12)

working hours after impounding such animal, notify the owner, if known, of the location of such animal. Said notification shall be by mail with postage fully prepaid thereon.

Any impounded animal may be redeemed by the owner upon payment of the fees established by resolution of the Board of Supervisors. The owner must also demonstrate to the satisfaction of the Director that he is the owner of the animal, and that he can keep such animal in conformance with the requirements of this division.

If a licensed animal is not redeemed within seven (7) days of impoundment, excluding County holidays and the day of impoundment (three (3) days for unlicensed animals), it shall be deemed abandoned and the Director may sell, release, or destroy said animal.

(Ord. No. 2836, § 8, 5-6-75; Ord. No. 2908, § 1, 5-4-76)

Except as otherwise provided by State law or by this division any unredeemed animal may be sold by the Director upon payment of the fees established by resolution of the Board of Supervisors.

An unredeemed female dog which has not been neutered shall not be sold or given away, other than for approved medical research, unless the deposit specified in section 4-1-111 has been received.

(Ord. No. 2836, § 8, 5-6-75)

Any impounded animal which has not been redeemed or sold may be disposed of by euthanasia. Euthanasia may also be performed at the request of the owner of the animal; a fee may be charged if provided for by resolution of the Board of Supervisors.

(Ord. No. 2836, § 8, 5-6-75)

No humane shelter or shelter operated by a society for the prevention of cruelty to animals shall sell or give away, except for approved medical research, any female dog which has not been neutered unless the cost of neutering such dog has been deposited with the shelter for payment to a veterinarian or neutering clinic designated by the person purchasing or receiving the dog. The deposit shall be forwarded to the veterinarian or clinic upon receipt by the shelter of a notice from the veterinarian or clinic that the dog has been neutered.

(Ord. No. 2836, § 8, 5-6-75)

No person shall sell, barter or give away, nor shall any person buy, accept or take possession of any animal on premises upon which a County animal shelter is located, including adjacent parking areas, without the written permission of the Director. The Director may define the premises covered by this section and cause those areas to be posted so as to advise persons of the provisions of this section.

(Ord. No. 3337, § 1, 8-17-82)

Secs. 4-1-113—4-1-126. - Reserved.