Sec. 3-122. Impounding animals; procedure

Animals found at large with a license tag, rabies tag, tattoo, microchip, or other indications of ownership shall, except as otherwise provided in this Subtitle, be impounded and taken to the Animal Services and Adoption Center and there confined in a humane manner for a period of not less than five (5) business days, unless sooner claimed and redeemed by its owner.

Animals found at large without a license tag or other indications of ownership shall be impounded as above. However, such stray animals will be confined in a humane manner for a period of not less than three (3) business days.

In the event an impounded animal shows signs of disease, injury, or severe behavioral maladjustment, the Administrator has discretion to send the animal to be euthanized rather than holding it for three (3) business days, providing he has checked the records to see if the animal has been reported missing, the animal appears to be unlicensed, and, in the case of disease or injury, he has consulted with a veterinarian. The behavioral maladjustment must be of such a nature as to pose a threat to the animal's welfare while confined at the Animal Services and Adoption Center or pose an unreasonable threat to the safety of personnel caring for the animal.

Domesticated animals may be impounded when found at large or abandoned, and disposed of in accordance with procedures established pursuant to regulations promulgated by the Director.

An ear tipped cat shall be handled according to this subsection, and for ear tipped cats, this subsection shall supersede subsections (c) and (d) of this Section, and Sections 3-132, 3-135, and 3-140 of this Subtitle. An Animal Control Officer who has trapped or responds to a trapped ear tipped cat in the field, shall immediately release the ear tipped cat at the location where it was trapped, unless the ear tipped cat show signs of disease, or injury, or unless the Animal Control Officer has probable cause that the specific cat is the subject of a pending nuisance complaint. An Animal Control Officer shall not trap an ear tipped cat for being at large or, if the ear tipped cat has no owner, for not being under restraint. An ear tipped cat transported to or deposited at the Animal Services and Adoption Center shall be held by the Administrator for at least three (3) working days, unless the cat is suffering from disease or injury. The Administrator shall use all due diligence to provide electronic notification about all ear tipped cats held at the Animal Services and Adoption Center to all local animal rescue organizations and all animal care organizations who have notified the Administrator of their experience with ear tipped cats and shall allow three (3) working days from the time of the electronic notification for an organization to rescue the ear tipped cat at no charge to the organization. An animal care or animal rescue organization shall not return an ear tipped cat to the area where it was trapped if that specific ear tipped cat has been impounded three times to the Animal Services and Adoption Center. If an ear tipped cat is trapped in or brought to the Animal Services and Adoption Center from a municipality located within Prince George's County with a municipal animal control department, the Administrator shall provide the municipality with the same notification and opportunity for rescue. If the Administrator has used all due diligence to notify animal rescue organizations, animal care organizations, and where appropriate, a municipality about an ear tipped cat, and if the ear tipped cat is not retrieved by an organization or municipality within the designated time period, the ear tipped cat shall be treated the same as an impounded cat to the processes of Subtitle 3 of the Prince George's County Code.

The Administrator shall make and keep records of individual ear tipped cats handled under this subsection (e), including; the date and location where the ear tipped cat was trapped or captured; the date the ear tipped cat entered the Animal Services and Adoption Center; whether the ear tipped cat suffered from a disease or injury, and the nature of any such disease or injury; whether the ear tipped cat was the subject of nuisance complaint, and the facts and legal basis for any such complaint, all notifications, and notification attempts, to animal rescue or animal care organizations, or to a municipality; and the date and ultimate disposition of the ear tipped cat. The Administrator shall make these records available for public inspection and shall report these records to the Director of the Department of the Environment.

The Administrator shall, annually review by December 31st, with consultation with the Director and County Council, the effectiveness of the ear tipped cat program under Section 3-122 of this Subdivision.