§ 5-26. Procedure if animal is vicious.

(a)

The animal control supervisor and animal control officers shall seize and impound any animal found by them to be vicious and in such event shall aid in the proceedings instituted in the municipal court against the owner of such animal.

(b)

The animal control supervisor shall, upon being notified properly that charges of harboring a vicious animal are pending against any person in the municipal court, seize and impound the animal described in such proceedings.

(c)

If such seized and impounded animal shall have bitten a human being two (2) or more times prior to being seized and impounded, then and in that event, it shall be destroyed.

(d)

If the municipal court shall fail to find that the animal so seized and impounded is a vicious animal, then the court shall order said animal to be surrendered to its owner and the city animal shelter shall waive the imposition of any impoundment fees.

(e)

If the municipal court shall find that the animal so seized and impounded is a vicious animal, then the court shall order the animal to be destroyed.

(f)

If the municipal court shall find that the animal so seized and impounded is a vicious animal and the facts of the offense so warrant, the court shall be authorized to impose an increased fine of up to seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), plus court costs, court fees and other applicable fees. In addition to ordering the animal destroyed and imposing an increased fine, the court may order the reimbursement to the victim of all expenses, including any veterinary care for an injured domestic animal.

(Ord. No. 2018-01, § XVI, 1-2-18)

Cross reference

Municipal court, Ch. 18.