Orange County NC Website
10 <br /> Animal Control Ordinance <br /> (1) Written Complaint. Upon receipt of a written complaint that an animal previously <br /> declared dangerous was off the Owner's or Keeper's property while not properly <br /> confined in a manner permitted by subsection(d) above, festfaipwd 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 r° <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 /> Adopted 1/21/2016 Unified Animal Control Ordinance <br /> Effective 3/1/2016 <br />