Unified Animal Control Ordinance draft amendments CLEAN for August ASAB

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Animal Control Ordinance Adopted 1/21/2016 Unified Animal Control Ordinance Page 20 Effective 3/1/2016 (2) If an animal is impounded as dangerous, authorization for reclamation after any required holding period shall be granted when in the sole discretion of the Animal Services Director, or their designee, they are reasonably assured that either the animal is not dangerous or the dangerous animal will be properly restrained confined on the premises of its Owner or Keeper. (3) Upon a finding that there is probable cause to believe a violation of this Ordinance or other applicable law or regulation has occurred, the Animal Control Officer may seize the animal and take any action allowed by this Ordinance or State law as the circumstances may require. (g) Citation. The Animal Control Officer shall issue a citation to the Owner or Keeper for actions described in section 4-42(b) (1) – (4). Citations may be delivered in person or by registered mail if the owner or keeper is not readily found. The citation issued shall impose upon the Owner or Keeper a civil penalty of one hundred dollars ($100.00), or any other amount prescribed by the Orange County Board of Commissioners. (1) The violator must pay the citation to Orange County Animal Services within fourteen (14) days of receipt in full satisfaction of the assessed civil penalty. This penalty is in addition to any other fees or remedies authorized under this Chapter. (2) In the event that the Owner or Keeper of the animal does not appear in response to the described citation, the civil penalty is not paid within the time period prescribed, or if the animal previously has been declared dangerous upon payment of a citation or the conviction of the Owner or Keeper a criminal summons may be issued against the Owner or Keeper for violation of this chapter and upon conviction, the Owner or Keeper shall be punished as provided by this Ordinance. (3) Upon the issuance of a citation for an animal which has committed any of the acts described in this Section, the animal must be confined either in the home of the Owner or Keeper, at an animal shelter, a kennel as provided in Sections 4-71 and 4-72 below or a veterinarian's office until such time that the required pen is constructed, the animal is destroyed, or a judge finds that the animal is not a dangerous animal. (4) The Animal Services Director has the authority at any time to require that a dangerous animal not be kept in the Owner’s or Keeper's home. The animal must stay confined through any legal appeals. The Owner or Keeper shall be responsible for the costs incurred in the animal's confinement. If the animal is found not to be a dangerous animal, the County shall be responsible for the cost of animals kept at the Animal Services facility for that purpose. (h) Effect of Citation.