§ 4-16. Impoundment, redemption and adoption.
(a)
The department of animal services may place animal trapping cages on private property, with the occupant's or property owner's permission, or on public property within the unincorporated county. An animal trapped or confined shall be in the custody of the department of animal services, and it shall be unlawful for any person to remove, disengage, release, relocate, alter, damage or destroy or cause to be removed, disengaged, released, relocated, altered, damaged or destroyed, any trapping cage placed by the department of animal services, or any animal confined therein.
(b)
Any animal impounded at the Marion County Animal Center shall be maintained in accordance with the following provisions and additional policies adopted by the board by resolution:
(1)
In the event any impounded animal not classified as dangerous or being held as the subject of a dangerous dog or cruelty investigation is properly identified by the legal owner or authorized agent of the owner, the animal shall be released to the owner or agent upon payment of all fees as established by the board and all fees incurred by the county on behalf of the impounded animal for the provision of proper care and confinement, providing that concurrence of the county public health unit director or designated representative has been obtained for the release of any animal with rabies or believed to be infected with rabies. In the case of any animal impounded because of a dangerous dog investigation, such animal may be released to the owner according to the requirements of section 4-20.
(2)
In the event any impounded animal is not claimed prior to the expiration of the proper impoundment period, the department of animal services may release, adopt, destroy or otherwise dispose of such animal in accordance with the established laws, rules and regulations and the policies of the board, without any compensation being paid to the owner, providing that concurrence of the county public health unit director or designated representative has been obtained for the release of any animal with rabies or suspected to be infected with rabies.
(3)
All dogs and cats being adopted, redeemed or sterilized from the department of animal services shall be implanted with an electronic animal identification device (microchip) for positive identification and be registered with the department of animal services database prior to release, and the department shall collect the applicable fees for such services.
(4)
All dogs and cats having completed rabies quarantine shall be implanted with an electronic animal identification device (microchip) for positive and permanent identification as a condition of quarantine release. All fees for such services shall be the owner's responsibility.
a.
Animals quarantined at the Marion County Animal Center shall be implanted with an electronic animal identification device prior to being released to the owner.
b.
Animals not quarantined at the Marion County Animal Center shall within ten (10) calendar days from the release of quarantine be implanted with an electronic animal identification device (microchip) by a veterinarian of the owner's choice or the department of animal services.
(5)
No live dog or cat shall be released to any entity, business, firm, corporation, institution or enterprise for biomedical research, teaching or experimental purposes.
(6)
All owners shall have the right to schedule a visitation of their animal, subject to reasonable limitations on staff availability, at the Marion County Animal Center not more often than three (3) days per week and not to exceed fifteen (15) minutes per day, with the exception of animals that have been impounded as a result of an attack on a human, or where pursuant to determination of a licensed veterinarian, visitation is not advisable. In those cases, no visitation shall be permitted.
(Ord. No. 11-55, § 1, 10-18-11; Ord. No. 16-34, § 1, 10-4-2016; Ord. No. 18-21, § 1, 8-7-2018)