Vallejo Municipal Code Ch. 7.12 Animal Control Director

There is created and established the office of animal control director. The animal control director may be any person or entity appointed by the city manager and shall hold office at the pleasure of the city manager. The appointment of any entity shall be approved by the city council.

(Ord. 1525 N.C. (2d) § 5 (part), 2004.)

No person shall be eligible to hold the office of animal control director or deputy to the city animal control director unless he is a citizen of the United States and over the age of twenty-one years.

(Ord. 161 N.C. (2d) § 4, 1973.)

The animal control director and his deputies, while engaged in the execution of their duties, shall wear in plain view a badge having in the case of the animal control director, the words "Animal Control Director," or like designation engraved thereon, and in the case of the deputy poundmaster, the words "Animal Control Officer," engraved thereon.

(Ord. 161 N.C. (2d) § 6, 1973.)

The director and all of his deputies shall, upon appointment as herein provided, and during the tenure of their office, become and be vested with the powers and duties of peace officer of the city and each shall have the power and it shall be their duty to make arrests or issue citations for violations of any of the provisions of Chapters 7.04 through 7.38.

(Ord. 161 N.C. (2d) § 7, 1973.)

The powers and duties of the director and his deputies shall be as follows:

A. To enforce all provisions of Chapters 7.04 through 7.38 and all the laws of the state of California relating to the care, treatment and impounding of dumb animals;

B. To make arrests or issue citations for the violation of any of the provisions of Chapters 7.04 through 7.38;

C. To maintain and keep an animal shelter or other place, as directed by the city council, where all animals enumerated which are subject to be impounded, may be kept and safely held.

(Ord. 161 N.C. (2d) § 11, 1973.; Ord. No. 1840 N.C. (2d), § 12, 2-11-2020)

The director and each of his deputies are authorized to enter upon any premises consistent with the United States Constitution upon which any animal is kept, for the purpose of taking up, seizing, or impounding any animal found running at large, or staked, herded, or grazed thereon, in violation of the provisions of Chapters 7.04 through 7.38, or for the purpose of ascertaining whether such animal is licensed as required by Chapters 7.04 through 7.38, provided that he shall at the earliest opportunity make a reasonable effort to notify the owner or occupant of the premises of his presence and the reason therefor, and provided further if the violation is not in his presence, he shall first secure the consent of the owner or the occupant of the premises upon which such animal is believed located, and if the consent is refused or cannot be readily obtained, he shall obtain a warrant or other lawful process of court authorizing his entry upon the premises.

(Ord. 161 N.C. (2d) § 9, 1973.; Ord. No. 1840 N.C. (2d), § 14, 2-11-2020)

In the performance of his duties, the director and each of his deputies shall have the authority, when in immediate pursuit of an animal which is in violation of any of the provisions of this title, to go upon the premises of the owner or a third person for the purpose of impounding such animal, provided that he shall at the earliest opportunity make a reasonable effort to notify the owner or occupant of the premises of his presence and the reason therefor, and provided further that in the course of such pursuit he shall exercise reasonable care to avoid causing damage to the premises.

(Ord. 161 N.C. (2d) § 10, 1973.)

The director shall, upon his appointment to the office, give a bond guaranteeing the faithful performance of his duties in an amount established from time to time by the city council. The premium for the bond shall be paid from city funds.

(Ord. 161 N.C. (2d) § 5, 1973.)

No person shall fail or refuse to exhibit the registration of any animal required to be licensed by Chapters 7.04 through 7.38 when required to do so by the director or any of his deputies.

(Ord. 161 N.C. (2d) § 16, 1973.)

It is made the duty of the director to enforce any other section of Chapters 7.04 through 7.38 whether enumerated as a duty or not.

(Ord. 161 N.C. (2d) § 17, 1973.)

It is unlawful for any person to interfere with the director or his deputies in the performance of their official duties.

(Ord. 161 N.C. (2d) § 18, 1973.)

All dead animals located on public property shall be handled and removed by the director or his deputy.

(Ord. 161 N.C. (2d) § 35, 1973.)

All exotic animals required to have a state license shall be registered with the animal control director. Registration shall be made on forms provided by the director, which shall include the name, address, phone number of the owner, and a description of the animal to aid the director in finding the owner of any lost animal. The establishing and amount of any fee for registration shall be determined by resolution of the city council.

(Ord. 536 N.C. (2d) § 2, 1980.)