Sec. 3-7. Impoundment and violation notice.
(a) Unrestrained dogs, cats and nuisance animals shall be taken by the police or Animal Control officer and impounded in an animal shelter and there confined in a humane manner.
(b) Impounded dogs and cats shall be kept for not fewer than five (5) working days, unless specifically determined otherwise by the Town Animal Control board.
(c) If a license tag or other means can identify the owner of an impounded animal, the Town Animal Control officer shall immediately upon impoundment, notify the owner by telephone or certified mail.
(d) An owner reclaiming an impounded cat shall pay a fee of ten dollars ($10.00) and five dollars ($5.00) for each day the animal has been impounded. Subsequent impounds occurring within twelve (12) months will cause the owner to pay twenty dollars ($20.00) and ten dollars ($10.00) respectively. Any and all medical fees and costs will be added to the total charges deemed payable by said owner(s).
(e) An owner reclaiming an impounded dog shall pay a fee of fifteen dollars ($15.00) and eight dollars ($8.00) for each day the animal has been impounded. Subsequent impounds occurring within twelve (12) months will cause the owner to pay thirty dollars ($30.00) and sixteen dollars ($16.00) respectively. Any and all medical fees and costs will be added to the total charges deemed payable by said owner(s).
(f) Any animal not reclaimed by its owner within five (5) working days shall become the property of the Town Animal Control board, and shall be placed for adoption in a suitable home or humanely euthanized, or unless said animal is determined to be a threat to the facility; that animal may be humanely euthanized at the discretion of the Town Animal Control officer.
(g) In addition to, or in lieu of, impounding an animal found at large, the Town Animal Control officer or police officer may issue to the known owner of such animal, a notice of ordinance violation. Such notice shall impose upon the owner a penalty of twenty-five dollars ($25.00) for first offense, fifty dollars ($50.00) for second offense and one hundred dollars ($100.00) for every offense thereafter, to be paid to the clerk-treasurer within the time period specified in said notice of ordinance violation. In the event that such penalty is not paid within the time period prescribed, said violation shall be prosecuted in the same manner as all local ordinance violations.
(h) The Town Animal Control board shall review automatically all licenses issued to animal owners against whom three (3) or more ordinance violations have been assessed in a twelve-month period.
(i) The Town Animal Control board shall keep complete and accurate records of the care, feeding, veterinary treatment, and disposition of all animals impounded at the shelter.
(j) After a dog or cat has bitten a person or other animal, the following action will be taken:
(1) If the dog or cat has up-to-date vaccinations (shots), the dog or cat can be confined inside the owner's residence for the required time period of ten (10) days by state law, provided same is approved by the Animal Control officer.
(2) If the dog or cat does not have up-to-date vaccinations (shots), the dog or cat shall be quarantined for the required time period of ten (10) days at an animal hospital or veterinary clinic with the owner paying all costs of confinement. It shall be the responsibility of the owner to provide verification of said vaccination (shots) to the Animal Control officer.
(3) It shall be the duty of every physician or other practitioner to report to the Town Animal Control board the name and addresses of persons treated for bites inflicted by animals together with such other information as will help with rabies control. It shall also be the duty of every licensed veterinarian to report to the Animal Control officer his diagnosis of any animal observed by him/her as a rabies suspect.
(4) Any animal that has three (3) documented unprovoked bite incidents shall be recommended to the Town Animal Control board to be deemed "vicious". Upon written complaint to the Town Animal Control board, a determination will be made as to the disposition of said animal. The owner of a suspected vicious animal may voluntarily surrender the animal to the Town Animal Control board for humane disposal at any time prior to a determination being made. The owner will be responsible for any fees incurred during the holding of said animal.