§ 8.04.140. Disposition of unclaimed or unlicensed dogs.

A.

It shall be the duty of the chief medical director to keep any licensed dog impounded for running at large or impounded under Section 8.12.060 for a period of seven days from the date notice is mailed to the owner of record as determined by the license. Any unlicensed dog that is impounded shall be kept for a period of three working days beginning with the date of seizure. At the expiration of the applicable period of days such impounded dog may be disposed of as follows:

1.

Whenever any individual shall apply to the department of health for permission to adopt or buy any impounded dog remaining unclaimed, the chief medical director may sell to the individual such unclaimed dogs or surrender such dogs to the individual for adoption upon a payment of a fee set by the board of health.

2.

Whenever any dogs remain unclaimed, such dogs may be destroyed in a manner to be determined by the chief medical director.

B.

Any person who does not desire to pay the license fee, provided by this chapter upon any dog owned, kept or harbored on premises owned by him shall bring such dog to the pound operated by the metropolitan government to be disposed of.

C.

Notwithstanding subsection A of this section, the chief medical director, upon the advice of a licensed veterinarian, may dispose of a dog immediately if he/she determines the dog is suffering from rabies or other infectious or dangerous diseases, or is in misery, or if he/she determines such immediate disposition furthers the public's health and safety.

D.

The department of health is authorized to charge a reduced adoption fee described in this section for organizations that have applied for and received certification under health department policy.

(Ord. BL2013-452 § 6, 2013; Amdts. 1, 2 with Ord. 99-1796 § 1, 1999)