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To amend City Code § 4-275, concerning impoundment and violation notices and fees for board and care of impounded dogs and cats, for the purpose of modifying the requirements for the impoundment of dogs and cats.
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THE CITY OF RICHMOND HEREBY ORDAINS:
§ 1. That section 4-275 of the Code of the City of Richmond (2020) be and hereby is amended as follows:
Sec. 4-275. Impoundment and violation notice; fee for board and care.
(a) [Unrestrained dogs of unknown ownership shall be taken by the animal control officer and confined in a humane manner, as shall dogs of known ownership the owners of which cannot be found at the time of apprehension of the unrestrained dog. In lieu of impounding a dog, if the owner is known and can be found when such unrestrained dog is taken into custody, the officer shall release such dog to its owner and shall then and there issue and serve upon the owner a summons to appear in court for violation of the restraint law. Such owner may, in lieu of appearing in court on the return date of such summons, within five working days of the date of receipt of the summons, pay a fine of $15.00 if such summons is for a first offense or a fine of $25.00 if it is for a second or subsequent offense] The Department may confine dogs found unrestrained in violation of section 4-243 that are of unknown ownership or whose owners cannot be located at the time of apprehension.
(b) If by a license tag the owner of an impounded dog or cat can be identified, the animal control officer shall, immediately following impoundment, seek to notify the owner of the fact of impoundment by the best means reasonably available to that officer.
(c) An owner reclaiming an impounded dog or cat shall pay a fee of $25.00 plus $5.00 for each day or portion of a day the dog or cat has been impounded. [Also, whenever a dog or cat is impounded and the owner reclaims the dog or cat, at the time the owner reclaims the dog or cat an officer shall then and there issue and serve upon such owner a summons to appear in court for violation of the restraint or license law. Such owner may, in lieu of appearing in court on the return date of such summons, within five working days of the date of receipt of the summons, pay a fine of $15.00 if such summons is for a first offense or a fine of $25.00 if it is for a second or subsequent offense.]
(d) Any animal not reclaimed by its owner within five days shall be deemed the property of the City and shall be disposed of as provided by State laws or placed with a new owner, subject to Section 4-278 and State laws. The fee for the adoption of dogs, cats, puppies and kittens shall be $100.00.
§ 2. This ordinance shall be in force and effect upon adoption.