<div class="chunk-title">Sec. 3-6. - Animal shelter; impoundment and disposition of dogs or cats.</div>
<div class="chunk-content">
            <p class="incr0">
               (a)
               </p>
            		
            <p class="content1">
               The board of commissioners of the county has heretofore established and now maintains
               a county animal shelter. Such animal shelter is to be under the supervision and control
               of the county animal services director and shall be used for the purpose of impounding
               lost and stray dogs, cats, and other animals for a period of not less than seventy-two
               (72) hours. The county animal services director shall make every effort to locate
               and give notice to owners of such dogs, cats, or other animals of the impoundment
               of such dog or dogs, cat or cats, or other animals.
               </p>
            		
            <p class="incr0">
               (b)
               </p>
            		
            <p class="content1">
               Any animal which is found to be not wearing a collar and a valid rabies vaccination
               tag or being implanted with a microchip as provided for in this section, as required
               by state law or this chapter, and not under restraint in violation of this chapter,
               which appears to be lost, stray, or unwanted, shall be impounded by the animal services
               director and confined at the animal shelter in a humane manner. Impoundment of such
               an animal shall not relieve the owner thereof from any penalty which may be imposed
               for violation of this chapter.
               </p>
            		
            <p class="incr0">
               (c)
               </p>
            		
            <p class="content1">
               The animal services employee responsible for impoundment shall scan the animal and
               utilize any information that may be available through a microchip to locate the owner
               of the animal, if possible. If the animal is not reclaimed by its owner during the
               impoundment period, the animal shall be disposed of in one (1) of the following manners:
               returned to the owner; adopted as a pet by a new owner; transferred to a humane rescue
               organization; or euthanized by a procedure approved by rules adopted by the Department
               of Agriculture and Consumer Services or, in the absence of such rules, by a procedure
               approved by the American Veterinary Medical Association, the Humane Society of the
               United States, or of the American Humane Association.
               </p>
            		
            <p class="incr0">
               (d)
               </p>
            		
            <p class="content1">
               As provided in G.S. 19A-32.1, before an animal may be euthanized or otherwise disposed
               of, it shall be made available for adoption under procedures that enable members of
               the public to inspect the animal, except in the following cases:
               </p>
            		
            <p class="incr1">
               (1)
               </p>
            		
            <p class="content2">
               The animal has been found by the animal services director to be unadoptable due to
               injury or defects of health or temperament;
               </p>
            		
            <p class="incr1">
               (2)
               </p>
            		
            <p class="content2">
               The animal is seriously ill or injured, in which case the animal may be euthanized
               before the expiration of the minimum holding period if the animal services director
               determines, in writing, that it is appropriate to do so. The writing shall include
               the reason for the determination; or
               </p>
            		
            <p class="incr1">
               (3)
               </p>
            		
            <p class="content2">
               The animal is being held as evidence in a pending criminal case.
               </p>
            		
            <p class="incr0">
               (e)
               </p>
            		
            <p class="content1">
               The animal services director shall attempt to notify the owner of any animal impounded
               which is badly wounded or diseased and has identification before disposing of such,
               but if the owner cannot be reached readily and, in the opinion of the animal services
               director, the animal is suffering, the animal services director may, at his discretion,
               destroy the animal in a humane manner.
               </p>
            		
            <p class="incr0">
               (f)
               </p>
            		
            <p class="content1">
               The animal services director shall maintain a record of all animals impounded under
               this section, which shall include the date of impoundment, the length of impoundment,
               the method of disposal of the animal, and the name of the person or institution to
               whom the animal has been released.
               </p>
            		
            <p class="incr0">
               (g)
               </p>
            		
            <p class="content1">
               If a dog or cat has not been reclaimed within seventy-two (72) hours after impoundment,
               it may be dispositioned as provided in <a href="" data-chunk-id="COOR_CH3AN_ARTIINGE_S3-6ANSHIMDIDOCA" class="section-link" data-product-id="12207">section 3-6</a>(c) above.
               </p>
            		
            <p class="historynote0">
               (Ord. Of 9-21-21(2); Ord. No. 2022-03, 3-15-22)
               </p></div>