ARTICLE III. DOGS

DIVISION I. GENERALLY

Sec. 4-36. Dogs running at-large—Impoundment and disposition.

(a)       Any dog found running at-large without the tag required by section 4-53 or in violation of section 4-35 of this article shall be apprehended by the animal control officer or other officer and placed in a pound meeting the requirements of the Code of Virginia.  All drugs and drug administering equipment used by animal wardens or other officers to capture dogs shall have been approved by the state veterinarian.

(b)       A dog impounded under this section shall be kept for a period of not less than five (5) days, such period to commence on the day immediately following the day the dog is initially confined, during which time the owner may reclaim the dog by showing satisfactory proof of ownership and paying an impoundment fee of twenty dollars ($20.00), plus a boarding fee of five dollars ($5.00) for each day or part thereof that the dog is so confined.  The operator or custodian of the pound shall make a reasonable effort to ascertain whether the animal has a collar, tag, license, tattoo, or other form of identification.  If such identification is found on the animal, the animal shall be held for an additional five days, unless sooner claimed by the rightful owner.  If the rightful owner of the animal can be readily identified, the operator or custodian of the pound shall make a reasonable effort to notify the owner of the animal's confinement within the next forty-eight hours following its confinement.

(c)       The payment of the impoundment fee and board fee provided for in this section shall not relieve the owner of his liability for any violation of section 4-35 of this article.

(d)       If a dog confined pursuant to this section has not been claimed upon expiration of the appropriate holding period as provided by subsection (b), it shall be deemed abandoned and become the property of the pound or shelter.  If such abandoned animal did not, when delivered to the pound, bear a collar, tag, license, tattoo, or other form of identification, it may be humanely destroyed or disposed of by the methods set forth in section 3.1-796.96 (c), Code of Virginia.  Otherwise, the disposition of the animal by the pound shall be as permitted by any applicable provision of Code of Virginia section 3.1-796.96.

(e)       No provision of this section shall prohibit the euthanasia of a critically injured or critically ill animal for humane purposes.  Neither shall any provision in this section prohibit the destruction, for humane purposes, of any animal not weaned, whether or not the animal is critically injured or critically ill.

(f)        Any animal euthanized pursuant to the provisions of this section shall be euthanized by one of the methods prescribed by or approved by the state veterinarian.

(g)       Prior to disposition by euthanasia, or otherwise, all the provisions of this section shall have been complied with.

(h)       In the event that the county has contracted with any other entity to maintain a pound enclosure, then, in addition to any fees specified in this section, the person claiming the impounded animal shall pay all applicable fees charged by the entity maintaining the pound enclosure.

(Ord. No. 03-19,6/17/03)