Orange County NC Website
Animal Control Ordinance <br />Adopted 1/21/2016 Unified Animal Control Ordinance <br />Effective 3/1/2016 <br />confined in a manner permitted by subsection (d) above, restrained and there is <br />probable cause to believe a violation of this Ordinance or other applicable law or <br />regulation has occurred, an Animal Control Officer may impound the animal and <br />investigate the complaint. <br />(2) If an animal is impounded as dangerous, authorization for reclamation after any <br />required holding period shall be granted when in the sole discretion of the Animal <br />Services Director, or their designee, they are reasonably assured that either the <br />animal is not dangerous or the dangerous animal will be properly restrained <br />confined on the premises of its Owner or Keeper. <br />(3) Upon a finding that there is probable cause to believe a violation of this <br />Ordinance or other applicable law or regulation has occurred, the Animal Control <br />Officer may seize the animal and take any action allowed by this Ordinance or <br />State law as the circumstances may require. <br />(g) Citation. The Animal Control Officer shall issue a citation to the Owner or Keeper <br />for actions described in section 4-42(b) (1) –(4). Citations may be delivered in person <br />or by registered mail if the owner or keeper is not readily found. The citation issued <br />shall impose upon the Owner or Keeper a civil penalty of one hundred dollars <br />($100.00), or any other amount prescribed by the Orange County Board of <br />Commissioners. <br />(1) The violator must pay the citation to Orange County Animal Services within <br />fourteen (14) days of receipt in full satisfaction of the assessed civil penalty. This <br />penalty is in addition to any other fees or remedies authorized under this Chapter. <br />(2) In the event that the Owner or Keeper of the animal does not appear in response to <br />the described citation, the civil penalty is not paid within the time period <br />prescribed, or if the animal previously has been declared dangerous upon payment <br />of a citation or the conviction of the Owner or Keeper a criminal summons may <br />be issued against the Owner or Keeper for violation of this chapter and upon <br />conviction, the Owner or Keeper shall be punished as provided by this Ordinance. <br />(3) Upon the issuance of a citation for an animal which has committed any of the acts <br />described in this Section, the animal must be confined either in the home of the <br />Owner or Keeper, at an animal shelter, a kennel as provided in Sections 4-71 and <br />4-72 below or a veterinarian's office until such time that the required pen is <br />constructed, the animal is destroyed, or a judge finds that the animal is not a <br />dangerous animal. <br />(4) The Animal Services Director has the authority at any time to require that a <br />dangerous animal not be kept in the Owner’s or Keeper's home. The animal must <br />stay confined through any legal appeals. The Owner or Keeper shall be <br />responsible for the costs incurred in the animal's confinement. If the animal is <br />9