§ 462.601. Impounding of animals.

(a)

An animal control officer is authorized to capture and impound, in a place maintained or designated for that purpose, any animal that is stray, at-large or as otherwise authorized by this Chapter.

(b)

Holding periods established:

(1)

ACPS shall shelter and care for impounded potentially owned, adult dogs and cats, whether tagged or stray, for six days, beginning the day of capture (intake),and excluding official holidays recognized by the City or when the shelter is otherwise closed to the public due to an unexpected event.

(2)

Litters of puppies and kittens estimated to be less than six months of age, as determined by the emergence of adult canine teeth, without an actively nursing mother shall have no required holding period for placement. For this Section a "litter" shall be considered two or more animals of apparently the same age and breed/mix.

(3)

The City shall establish a program for the handling and disposition of feral animals with no requirement for a holding period before disposition. All dogs and cats that are so unsocialized as to pose a threat to the safety and welfare of employees or the public shall be expeditiously and humanely euthanized (excluding any cat that qualifies for a community cat management program established by the City).

(4)

Due to the low reclaim rate and high euthanasia rate for cats, all cats that do not have positive, traceable identification through a currently registered microchip (RFID), City pet tag, or private identification tag (although still subject to the holding period established above) may be sterilized immediately upon intake and placed in the adoption area as soon as two days after impound.

(c)

ACPS shall not be required to shelter and care for any feral, wild, or exotic animals.

(d)

ACPS shall not be required to shelter or care for any animal that is severely injured, has a contagious disease or is deemed by ACPS as a danger to the community or an undue risk to employees of ACPS unless such animal has a currently registered microchip or ownership information in the form of City pet tag or private identification tag on the animal. All animals without such positive, traceable identification that meet the previous criteria shall be expeditiously and humanely euthanized.

(Ord. 2004-259-E, § 1; Ord. 2008-299-E, § 1; Ord. 2010-527-E, § 7)

Editor's note

Ordinance 2007-839-E, § 18, authorized updated department/division names pursuant to reorganization.