22.16.010 Impoundment procedure for stray animals.
A. Stray animals without identification shall be impounded for not less than 72 hours. A reasonable effort will be made to identify and notify the owner. If an owner is identified, the requisite minimum time will be extended pursuant to subsection (B) of this section.
B. Stray animals with identification shall be impounded for not less than 120 hours. A reasonable effort will be made to notify the owner.
C. Sundays and holidays shall not be counted towards the minimum time a stray animal will be held.
D. If an animal is not claimed by an owner after the requisite minimum time as set forth in this section, the animal shall be deemed abandoned and become property of the Borough. Animal control may make the animal available for adoption or may euthanize it.
E. If in the judgment of a licensed veterinarian or the Animal Control Manager and one subordinate an animal should be euthanized for humane reasons, and the animal’s owner cannot be identified or located, the animal will be euthanized notwithstanding the requisite minimum time as set forth above.
F. In addition to, or in lieu of, impounding an animal found at large, an animal control officer or police officer may return the animal to the owner and may issue to the known owner of such animal a citation.
G. If any animal is impounded from private property that contains a residence, the animal control officer shall immediately notify the occupant of the removal. Notice of removal shall be considered given when:
1. A notice of removal document is given to the occupant of the property at the time of removal; or
2. A notice of removal document is placed in a conspicuous location on the premises, when personal contact with the occupant of the property is not possible at the time of removal.
The method of delivery of the notice of removal shall be noted on the document.
This subsection does not apply if the animal control officer has reasonable belief that the occupant of the residence is not the owner of the animal.
H. It shall be the duty of each person who takes into their possession any stray animal to notify animal control by the close of business on the following business day. The person shall cooperate with animal control for animal control to take a photograph of the animal and scan the animal for a microchip. It shall be unlawful to refuse to release the animal to animal control upon demand. (Ord. 2019-09 § 2, 2019; Ord. 2017-27 § 7, 2017.)