All dogs and cats shall be deemed personal property and may be the subject of larceny
and malicious or unlawful trespass, and the owners thereof may maintain any action
for the killing of any such dogs or cats, or injury thereto, or unlawful detention
or use thereof, as in the case of other personal property. The owner of any dog or
cat which is injured or killed contrary to the provisions of this chapter by any person
shall be entitled to recover the value thereof or the damage done thereto in an appropriate
action at law from such person. The animal control officer or other officer finding
a stolen dog or cat, or a dog or cat held or detained contrary to law, shall have
authority to seize and hold such dog or cat pending action before the general district
court or other court. If no such action is instituted within seven (7) days, the animal
control officer or other officer shall deliver the dog or cat to its owner. The presence
of a dog or cat on the premises of a person other than its legal owner shall raise
no presumption of theft against the owner of such premises and the animal control
officer or other officer may take such dog in charge and notify its legal owner to
remove the dog or cat. The legal owner of the dog or cat shall pay a reasonable charge
for the keep of such dog or cat while in the possession of the animal control officer.
(Ord. No. 5862-02, § 1; Ord. No. 6020-04, § 1; Ord. No. 7299-16)
