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Animal Control Ordinance <br />DRAFTv.3 - 8/15/2013 Page 21 <br /> <br />to Animal Control Service procedures after five days of impoundment. Feral dogs and <br />cats may be held for 72 hours and then euthanized pursuant to Animal Shelter Services <br />procedures for humane euthanasia. The owner or keeper of an impounded <br />domesticated animal shall also comply with any vaccination and licensing directives <br />and be responsible for the payment to Orange County of all civil penalties and license <br />privilege taxes imposed or associated with the animal's impoundment as prescribed in <br />any citation or notice issued by the Animal Control Services Director. Animals who <br />have impounded in accordance with N.C. Gen. Stat. 130A-196, after having bitten a <br />person not reclaimed within 72 hours after the end of the quarantine period will be <br />considered abandoned and will become the property of the Orange County and <br />disposed of according to standard Animal Shelter Services procedures. <br />(c) Release to Owner. An owner or an impounded animal may reclaim the animal after it <br />has been impounded, upon compliance with this Section and in accordance with <br />requirements set forth by the Animal Services Director. Nothing in this Chapter shall <br />require the Animal Services Director to release an animal that has been impounded <br />who is need of protection because of cruel treatment. <br />(d) Diseased or injured animals. Severely diseased or badly injured animals may be <br />euthanized in a humane manner, if authorized by a licensed veterinarian, without <br />waiting the required redemption or adoption period. <br />(e) Confinement Order. In lieu of impoundment, the Animal Control Services Director is <br />authorized to issue a Confinement Order to the animal owner or keeper that would <br />require the owner or keeper to confine a vicious animal or an animal otherwise <br />violating provisions of the Ordinance. Failure to thus confine the animal would <br />constitute a further violation of the Ordinance, subjecting the owner to appropriate <br />criminal or civil penalties. <br /> (Ord. of 6-16-1987, § XIII, eff. 1-1-88; Amend. of 12-2-96, eff. 1-1-97) <br />Sec. 4-44. - Handling of stray animals. <br />It shall be unlawful for any person, without the consent of the Owner or Keeper, <br />knowingly and intentionally to harbor, feed, keep in possession by confinement or otherwise <br />any animal that does not belong to him, unless he has, within 72 hours from the time such <br />animal came into his possession, notified an Animal Control Officer or the Animal Shelter <br />Services. <br />(a) Any animal at large may in a humane manner be seized, impounded, and confined in the <br />Animal Shelter and thereafter adopted out or disposed of pursuant to procedures of the <br />Animal Shelter Services and applicable State law. <br /> <br />(b) Impoundment of such an animal shall not relieve the owner or keeper thereof from any <br />penalty which may be imposed for violation of this Ordinance Chapter. <br /> <br />(c) Any animal seized and impounded that is badly wounded or diseased and has no <br />identification, may be euthanized pursuant to procedures of the Animal Shelter Services.