§ 800-131. IMPOUNDING OF BITING DOGS

Upon written notice by a duly authorized representative of the Health Officer or Community Services Director, the owner or person having the control of any dog which has, within the preceding ten days, bitten any person or animal shall, upon demand, and in the discretion of the Health Officer as directed by the Health Officer, follow one of the following procedures:

(a)

Confine such dog to his own premises; or

(b)

Surrender such dog to Animal Control Services who shall impound and keep such dog at the public animal shelter in a separate kennel for a period of not less than ten days; or

(c)

Surrender such dog to a licensed veterinarian as designated by the Health Officer; or

(d)

Surrender the dog to Animal Control Services for quarantine at any other location or facility designated and approved by the Health Officer. If the dog is quarantined on the premises of the owner, Animal Control Services shall post a quarantine sign on such premises, and it shall be unlawful for any person to remove the sign during the term of such quarantine without the consent of the Health Officer. Any quarantine provided in this section shall be for a term of not less than ten days unless otherwise specified by the Health Officer. During the quarantine period it shall be the duty of the Health Officer, upon being notified by Animal Control Services that such dog has been impounded, to determine whether or not such dog is suffering from any disease.

(1)

If a duly licensed veterinarian designated by the Health Officer shall determine that such dog is diseased and by reason of such disease is dangerous to persons or to other animals, the Health Officer shall notify Animal Control Services in writing, to destroy such dog. A copy of said notice shall also be served upon the owner or person having control of such dog.

(2)

If said veterinarian shall determine that such dog is not so diseased, and if the license required for such dog shall have been duly paid for in the then current year, Animal Control Services shall notify by mail the person to whom the license for such dog was issued and at the address from which the dog was surrendered to Animal Control Services and shall, upon demand, release such dog to the owner or person lawfully entitled thereto, upon payment of any charges provided therefore, including expenses of quarantine and veterinary care; provided, however, that if no person lawfully entitled to such dog shall within 72 hours after the date of giving said last mentioned notice, appear at the public shelter and request the release of such dog, and pay said charges, such dog may be sold or destroyed by Animal Control Services in the same manner as set forth elsewhere in this chapter.