§ 10.24.040. Voluntary surrender.

(a) Except as provided in subsections (b) and (c) of this section, any animal brought to the animal shelter by any person purporting to be the owner thereof, to be impounded or destroyed, shall be kept by the animal shelter for a period not less than twenty-four hours after impoundment and before disposition; effective July 1, 1987, the person purporting to be the owner of the animal shall pay a service charge of ten dollars upon the delivery of the animal to the animal shelter.

(b)

Any sick or injured animal surrendered may be destroyed after surrender. If the animal has an owner identification tag or a microchip, three documented attempts should be made to contact the owner before the animal is destroyed unless, in the professional judgment and certification of a veterinarian, inhumane suffering may be prevented thereby.

(c)

All voluntarily surrendered animals shall be scanned for a microchip. If a microchip is traced back to a rescue organization, the organization shall be notified along with the owner. If the owner does not respond, the rescue organization shall be allowed to reclaim the animal before it is euthanized.

(Ord. 1107 § 21, 1988: Ord. 1023 § 7 (part), 1987)

(Ord. No. 3877, § 7, 6-15-2010)