§ 4-22-5 - Holding At-Large or Impounded Cats.
SECTION 4-22-5
§ 4-22-5 Holding At-Large or ImpoundedCats. – (a) In the case of any at-large or roaming or feral cat released to orimpounded in a licensed animal shelter or licensed municipal pound wearing anyform of identification specified in the definitions section the animal shelteror pound shall make a reasonable attempt to notify the owner by telephone, orby sending written notice to the owner. The at-large or roaming or feral catshall be held by the animal shelter or pound for not less than five days, afterwhich time the animal shelter or pound may offer the cat for adoption, sale orotherwise dispose of the cat, if not sooner recovered by the owner. The fivedays shall not include any day or part thereof that the public pound or animalshelter is not open for a specified period of time, not to be less thanone-half the normal hours of business. An owner wishing to recover the catshall pay the reasonable and customary daily impoundment fees and otherassociated fees for each full day, or fraction thereof, that the cat is held bythe animal shelter or pound. The provisions of this section relating to thefive (5) day holding period shall not be deemed to apply to any cat which,impounded hereunder, was injured or maimed, and after the cat has been examinedby a licensed veterinarian who shall confirm, in writing, that the cat bedestroyed for humanitarian purposes.
(b) In the case of any at-large or roaming or feral catreleased to or impounded in a licensed animal shelter or licensed municipalpound not wearing any form of identification as specified in the definitionssection, the animal shelter or pound shall hold the at-large or roaming orferal cat for not less than two (2) days, after which time the animal shelteror pound may offer the cat for adoption, sale or otherwise dispose of the cat,if not sooner recovered by a person claiming ownership. The two (2) days shallnot include any day or part thereof that the public pound or animal shelter isnot open for a specified period of time, not to be less than one-half thenormal hours of business. The owner or keeper of any cat so impounded shall paythe reasonable and customary daily impoundment fees and other associated feesfor each full day, or fraction thereof, that the cat is held at the animalshelter or pound. The provisions of this section relating to the two (2) dayholding period shall not be deemed to apply to any cat which, impoundedhereunder, was injured or maimed, and after the cat has been examined by alicensed veterinarian who shall confirm, in writing, that the cat be destroyedfor humanitarian purposes.
(c) If an at-large or roaming or feral cat withoutidentification released to or impounded in a licensed animal shelter or alicensed municipal pound is dangerous and presents a danger to the safety ofshelter personnel, the cat may be euthanized prior to the expiration of itsholding period at the discretion of an animal control officer, a licensedveterinarian or the shelter management.