§ 6.04.120. Impoundment—Destruction.

(a)

All sick or injured animals shall be impounded when not in the owner's possession and may be humanely destroyed at any time after impounding at the discretion of the animal shelter.

(b)

All other impounded animals shall be kept for not less than seventy-two (72) hours. Animals not claimed by their owners within seventy-two (72) hours shall be humanely disposed of, sold, or adopted out by the animal shelter. If a potentially dangerous dog or dangerous dog has been impounded and there is a petition for its destruction, if an owner does not contest the petition for destruction within seventy-two (72) hours, the owner will be deemed to consent to the destruction and has waived his or her right to contest the destruction and the dog shall be humanely disposed of.

(c)

Notice of impoundment shall be given by the animal shelter in substantially the following manner:

(1)

If the animal is wearing a license tag or identicode, or if the identity of the owner is known to or can be readily determined, then as soon as reasonably practicable after impoundment the owner shall be notified by telephone or otherwise of the impoundment and of the redemption procedure provided herein.

(2)

If the owner is known but cannot otherwise be notified, then a notice shall be sent by certified mail in substantially the following form:

NOTICE OF IMPOUNDING

DATE ____________ / ____________ / ____________

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: I have this day impounded in the animal shelter at ____________ Street, an animal described as follows:

Sex ____________  Color ____________
Breed ____________  Approximate age: ____________  Other identification ____________
Name of owner: ____________

Notice is hereby given that unless said animal is claimed and redeemed on or before ____________ o'clock on the ____________ day of ____________ , 20 ____________ , the same will be sold or destroyed.

If this box is checked □ your dog was impounded because it is a potentially dangerous dog or dangerous dog pursuant to section 6.04.030 of the Union Gap Municipal Code and a petition has been made by the Chief of Police, or his or her designee, requesting destruction of the dog. If you wish to contest the request for destruction of your dog, you must file in writing a request for a hearing with the Union Gap Municipal Court within seventy-two (72) hours. At the hearing the Municipal Court judge will consider the facts and circumstances involving the impound of your dog and will render a decision on whether the dog should be destroyed or returned to you.

Police or Animal Control Officer
____________

(3)

If the owner is unknown and cannot be readily determined, notice of impoundment shall be posted at the animal shelter, police department, and city hall in substantially the form above.

(d)

All impounded animals may be sold, adopted out, or destroyed, in the sole discretion of the animal shelter, when seventy-two (72) hours have elapsed after giving the notice described herein.

(e)

Owners of dogs impounded are responsible for all costs associated with the impound of the animal. In the event a dog is to be redeemed after impound for any reason, the owner must pay all of such costs prior to the dog being returned to the owner.

(f)

The animal shelter shall collect impoundment and licensing fees prior to release of any animal.

(Ord. 2442 (part), 2004)

( Ord. No. 2847 , § 1, 1-27-14)

Editor's note

Ord. No. 2847 , § 1, adopted Jan. 27, 2014, amended the catchline of § 6.04.120 to read as herein set out. Said catchline formerly read as "Impoundment."