Article 9 — Impoundment, Reclaiming, Adoption; Fees

It shall be the duty of all peace officers employed by the County, including the Sheriff-Coroner and his deputies, the Animal Control Officer and his deputies, the County trapper, and persons employed for this specific purpose by the Board, to take up, impound, and safely keep or destroy all dogs found within the unincorporated area of the County or in cities that contract for animal control services which have not been properly vaccinated and licensed as required by this chapter or which are found running free or at large within the unincorporated area of the County or contract cities. All peace officers of the State are authorized to proceed under the provisions of this section.

(§ I, Ord. 07-05, eff. February 15, 2007)

When any animal is so impounded, the animal may be adopted to a new owner after the required holding periods have been satisfied pursuant to Section 5-3.9.04, subsection (a)(3), of this chapter. Every person that adopts a dog from the animal care shelter shall be charged an adoption fee of Forty and no/100ths ($40.00) Dollars for each adopted dog. Every person that adopts a cat from the animal care shelter shall be charged an adoption fee of Twenty and no/100ths ($20.00) Dollars for each adopted cat.

The adoption fee is nonrefundable except as follows. If the animal is found to be ill or incompatible with the adoptive family within two (2) weeks of the date of adoption, the person adopting the animal may return the animal and submit a written request to the Animal Control Officer for refund of the adoption fee. The Animal

Control Officer, or his designee, shall review the request and grant or deny the request, in his discretion, and provide a written response to the applicant within thirty (30) days of receipt of the request.

No animal shall be adopted from the animal shelter unless spayed or neutered. If the animal is too young to be spayed or neutered, a refundable spay/neuter deposit of Forty and no/100ths ($40.00) Dollars shall be charged in addition to the adoption fee.

The money so received under this section shall be deposited in the Animal Control Spay and Neuter Fund to be used by the Department for the continuance of the spay and neuter program.

(§ I, Ord. 07-05, eff. February 15, 2007)

The owner of any impounded animal shall have the right to reclaim such animal at any time after the provisions of this chapter, and regulations pertaining thereto, have been complied with, and prior to the lawful disposition thereof, upon the payment to the Animal Control Officer of the costs and charges set forth in this chapter for the impounding and keeping of such animals.

(§ I, Ord. 07-05, eff. February 15, 2007)

(a)

The Animal Control Officer shall charge, receive and collect the following fines and charges upon impounded animals:

(1)

Twenty-five and no/100ths ($25.00) Dollars for the first impoundment plus an additional Thirty-five and no/100ths ($35.00) Dollars if unaltered;

(2)

Fifty and no/100ths ($50.00) Dollars for the second impoundment within one year plus an additional Fifty and no/100ths ($50.00) Dollars if unaltered;

(3)

Seventy-five and no/100ths ($75.00) Dollars for the third impoundment within one year plus an additional One Hundred and no/100ths ($100.00) Dollars if unaltered;

(4)

One Hundred and no/100ths ($100.00) Dollars for each impoundment after the third impoundment within one year plus an additional One Hundred and no/100ths ($100.00) Dollars if unaltered;

(5)

Five and no/100ths ($5.00) Dollars per day per animal for feeding and caring for such animals.

(b)

The Animal Control Officer shall keep the required record of each dog impounded.

(c)

Animals taken into custody by the Animal Control Officer pursuant to the provisions of this chapter shall be kept to satisfy the minimum mandated requirement of State law or regulation. All animals unclaimed thereafter shall be determined abandoned.

(d)

All animals determined abandoned pursuant to the provisions of this section shall be adopted in accordance with the provisions of Section 5-3.9.02 or disposed of in accordance with the provisions of Section 5-3.9.05 of this chapter.

(§ I, Ord. 07-05, eff. February 15, 2007)

It shall be the duty of the Animal Control Officer, and he is authorized, to destroy any animal lawfully impounded which is unclaimed. The destruction procedure shall be humane and shall be set forth by the Health Officer upon approval by the Board.

The Health Officer shall draft an administrative procedure for the destruction of unclaimed animals, which procedure shall be filed with the County Clerk upon approval by the Board.

(§ I, Ord. 07-05, eff. February 15, 2007)

The Animal Control Officer shall pay to the County Treasurer all sums collected pursuant to the provisions of this article.

(§ I, Ord. 07-05, eff. February 15, 2007)