Control of Animals

A.  Any dog or cat or other small animal found running at large may be impounded in the animal shelter. Any animal not redeemed by the owner or keeper before the expiration of seventy-two (72) hours, exclusive of Sundays, Mondays and city holidays, shall become the property of the city and may be disposed of at the discretion of the city.

B.  The animal welfare officer, upon receiving any animal for impoundment, shall record or cause to be recorded the description, breed, color and sex of the animal and whether or not it is licensed, and the date and time of impoundment. If the animal is licensed or if the owner or keeper is known, the officer shall enter the name and address of the owner or keeper, or the city license or rabies tag number as may be shown on the impoundment records. If the owner or keeper is known or can be determined from city records or identification attached to the animal, the animal welfare division will attempt to telephone the owner or keeper, or post written notice at the address shown on city records to be that of the owner or keeper, to notify the owner or keeper that unless redeemed in accordance with this code within seventy-two (72) hours after impoundment, Sundays, Mondays and city holidays excluded, the animal will be destroyed or otherwise disposed of at the discretion of the city. Attempts to contact the owner or keeper will be recorded on the reverse of the impoundment record.

C.  At the end of the redemption period prescribed in this section, animals that have not been redeemed by the owner or keeper thereof may be destroyed, adopted or otherwise disposed of at the discretion of the city. Should it be determined that the owner of the impounded animal is experiencing a situation that prohibits reclaiming the animal within the specified redemption period, the redemption period may be extended at the discretion of the animal welfare superintendent. If in the judgment of the animal welfare personnel an animal has been well maintained, the animal may be retained for an additional seventy-two (72) hours for the purpose of adoption or transferred to an animal adoption agency or National Breed Rescue Organization.

D.  Before any dog or cat is released for adoption from the city's animal shelter, such dog or cat shall be issued a license, as provided for in this chapter, if such dog or cat has not previously been licensed.

E.  No animal may be adopted from the animal shelter by any employee of the shelter for any reason, nor may any employee of the shelter adopt, give away or sell any animal from the shelter except in accordance with the provisions of this chapter.

F.  There is hereby established a grace period of seven (7) days beginning on the day of adoption and ending at the close of business on the seventh day thereafter, during which period an animal adopted from the city's animal shelter may be returned to the animal shelter for a refund of the adoption fee, spay/neuter deposit, vaccination deposit and license fee or, at the option of the adopting party, a replacement animal, conditioned solely upon the presentation of written certification of a licensed veterinarian that the adopted animal is in poor health.

G.  The city council, by duly enacted resolution, may designate certain days in which animals eligible for adoption may be adopted from the city's animal shelter without the payment of the adoption fee as required in the fee schedule. Provided, however, that the other provisions of this chapter shall apply to the animals adopted under this subsection.

H.  There is hereby established a "No Questions Asked" period of three (3) days from the date of the adoption whereby an adopted animal can be returned for any reason to the animal welfare division for a full refund of fees and any deposits received.

I.  The animal welfare division reserves the right to refuse an adoption based on noncompliance with agreements required by a previous adoption, previous animal related citations issued within the last twenty-four (24) months of the application that resulted in a conviction or payment of costs, inability or refusal to provide a picture I.D. at time of adoption, inability to show proof of an established residence, and out-of-town residents who express refusal to comply with adoption spay/neuter policies mandated for city residents.

A.  Except as hereinafter provided, a licensed and vaccinated animal impounded under the provisions of this chapter may be redeemed by the owner or keeper upon payment of the impoundment fee as provided in the fee schedule and the animal shelter boarding fee. The owner or keeper has seventy-two (72) hours after impoundment, Sundays, Mondays and city holidays excluded, to redeem the animal. If the owner or keeper has not made arrangements to redeem the animal within this period, the animal becomes the property of the city and may be disposed of at the discretion of the city. Should if be determined that the owner of the impounded animal is experiencing a situation that prohibits reclaiming the animal within the specified redemption period, the redemption period may be extended at the discretion of the animal welfare superintendent.

B.  No animal impounded due to abandonment or public nuisance or in order to protect the health or safety of the animal shall be eligible for redemption by the owner unless the owner demonstrates to the satisfaction of the animal welfare division that another party was responsible for the conditions leading to impoundment or that the conditions leading to impoundment have been corrected and upon payment of the impoundment fee as provided in the fee schedule and the animal shelter boarding fee.

C.  No unlicensed dog or cat may be released from impoundment to its owner or keeper until such dog or cat is issued a license, as provided in this chapter, and after payment of the fee as provided in the fee schedule.

D.  No unvaccinated animal may be released from impoundment unless payment of the fee as provided in the fee schedule has been made and the owner or keeper signs an agreement to have the animal vaccinated against rabies within two (2) weeks of release, or from the time the animal reaches the age of six (6) months, by a licensed veterinarian and return documented proof of such to the animal welfare division on or before the contract compliance date. Failure to comply with the agreement shall be unlawful, and may result in the issuance of a citation for violation of the provisions of this chapter. The owner or keeper shall also be required to deposit funds with the animal shelter to ensure the animal is vaccinated. The amount of the deposit shall be set in the fee schedule, and will be refunded to the owner upon presentation of the documented proof on or before the contract compliance date.

E.  The owner or keeper of an unaltered dog or cat impounded under the provisions of this chapter may redeem their pet upon payment of the required fees as provided in the fee schedule. The owner or keeper shall also be required to deposit funds with the animal shelter in an amount equal to the sterilization deposit as established in the fee schedule. The deposit will be refunded to the owner upon presentation of a written statement signed by a licensed veterinarian that the animal has been neutered or spayed. The statement must be presented within fourteen (14) days from the redemption date in order to receive the refund. If the dog or cat has been impounded for a third time within a twenty-four (24) month period, the animal may not be released from the animal shelter unless the owner or keeper signs an agreement, in addition to making the deposit, to have the animal neutered or spayed within two (2) weeks of release. If the animal is less than six (6) months old at the time of redemption, the statement must be presented within fourteen (14) days from the date the animal attains the age of six (6) months. Failure to comply with the agreement shall be unlawful, and may result in the issuance of a citation for violation of the provisions of the chapter.

F.  Upon presentation of a written report from a licensed veterinarian stating that the life or health of an unaltered dog or cat may be jeopardized by surgery, the animal welfare superintendent shall grant a thirty (30) day extension of the period within which the spay or neuter surgery would otherwise be required. Further extensions may be granted upon additional veterinary reports stating the necessity for such extensions.

G.  The vaccination and sterilization deposits required above will be retained by the city, and a refund of the deposits will be made upon presentation of a written statement signed by a licensed veterinarian that the animal has been vaccinated and/or neutered or spayed. If the animal has not been vaccinated and/or altered within the time specified in the release agreement, the deposits will be forfeited to the city. Deposits forfeited to the city shall be placed in a separate account, which shall be an interest bearing account if feasible, and such forfeited funds shall be used for promoting programs which educate the public on the need for vaccinating and altering animals, and responsible pet ownership.

H.  In addition to forfeited vaccination and sterilization deposits, twenty-five percent (25%) of all impoundment and boarding fees required to be paid to redeem impounded animals shall be deposited into the same account established in the preceding paragraph to promote the same programs.