A. An animal control officer may apprehend any animal committing or involved in any acts in violation of this title or in any other ordinance or which is being subjected to cruel treatment as defined in this title. After such an animal is apprehended, the animal control officer shall determine whether the animal is licensed, registered or otherwise identifiable, and may return the animal to its owner, or if the animal control officer finds it necessary for the protection of the animal or of the public to keep the animal in custody, the animal control officer shall notify the owner of the animal within a reasonable time by telephone, regular mail, personal contact or by posting at the residence of the owner that the animal has been impounded, the reasons therefor, and whether and/or how it may be redeemed.

B. Any animal not displaying a traceable license tag or other form of identification impounded pursuant to this chapter shall be held for its owner at least seventy-two hours commencing with the apprehension.

C. Any animal displaying a traceable license tag or other form of identification impounded pursuant to this chapter shall be held for its owner at least seventy-two hours commencing with notification.

D. All impound periods shall continue to run during nonbusiness hours, weekends and holidays.

E. The animal control officer or the staff of a city designated animal shelter may cause to have provided necessary vaccinations against contagious diseases to any impounded animals.

F. Any impounded animal not redeemed by its owner during the prescribed period, or which is suffering from a serious injury or disease as determined by the animal control officer or the person in charge of a city designated animal shelter, may be humanely destroyed. Any impounded animal not redeemed by its owner during the prescribed period may be made available for adoption or, in the discretion of such custodian, may be held for a longer period. Redemption of an impounded animal by its owner or adoption by any other person, after being held for the prescribed period, may be conditioned upon payment of reasonable medical fees, licensing and registration fees if the animal is not registered, impound and holding costs, and any other chargeable fees.

G. No live animal impounded pursuant to this chapter shall be used, donated or sold for experimentation purposes.

H. The owner of any animal impounded pursuant to the provisions of this chapter may redeem the animal according to the procedures set out in this chapter; provided, that subject to the appeal procedures of this chapter, redemption may be denied to an owner who has cruelly treated an animal as defined in this chapter or to an owner of an animal believed to have engaged in nuisance or destructive behavior as defined in AMC 6.04.140; and provided, that such owner file the appeal from a denial of redemption with the municipal court before closure of such office on the seventh business day following service of the notice of the denial. If service by mail, service shall be deemed complete upon the third day following the day upon which notice is placed in the mail.

I. Animals delivered for impoundment by animal control officers or police officers that have been removed from the possession of persons detained or incarcerated for a crime shall be held for not less than one hundred twenty hours. An impoundment receipt shall be left with the detained person’s possessions along with instructions for redemption. The receipt shall serve as the notice to the owner required by this chapter. An officer should make a reasonable attempt to place the animal with a responsible person, family member of the detained person, or animal rescue service; however, failure to successfully place the animal shall not relieve the animal owner from the responsibility for all reasonable fees associated with impoundment. (Ord. 2955 Att. A, 2015)