Shelter Operation and Impoundment

(a) Jackson County may operate, maintain or provide for a facility to receive, care for and confine animals delivered to its custody under the provisions of this Chapter, which facility shall be accessible to the public during reasonable hours for the conduct of necessary business concerning impounded animals. The Director shall have the authority to turn away any animal for which the County does not have adequate facilities to receive, care for or safely confine said animal.

(b) Any animal may be impounded and held at the facility when it is the subject of an alleged violation of law, a violation of the law, when an animal requires protective custody and care because of mistreatment or neglect by its keeper or when otherwise ordered impounded by a hearings officer, the Director, or a court. The cost of impounding and keeping the animal shall be the responsibility of the keeper of the animal.

(c) Impoundment is subject to the following holding period and notice requirements:

(1) A dog bearing a license or identification tag shall be held for 120 hours from the time of impoundment. A reasonable effort shall be made to notify the keeper of an animal before it is removed from impoundment.
(2) A dog for which no identification of ownership is known or reasonably determinable shall be held for 72 hours from the time of impoundment before any disposition may be made of the animal. The disposition of cats at large bearing no identification may be made at any time after impoundment.
(3) An animal held for periods prescribed under this section, or as otherwise required by ORS 433.340 through 433.390 (1999), and not redeemed by the keeper, shall be euthanized unless the animal may be released under another provision of this section.
(4) An animal delivered for impoundment by a peace officer, who removed the dog from possession of a person in the custody of the peace officer, shall be held for the period prescribed by Oregon law to effect notice of County Violation, possible penalties, and rights to a hearing. A receipt shall be given the peace officer, who shall deliver the receipt to the person in custody from whom the animal was taken. The receipt shall recite redemption requirements and shall serve as the notice required by this section. If the facility is closed when the peace officer delivers the dog, a receipt shall be prepared on the next business day and delivered to the person in custody from whom the dog was taken.

(d) If the County is not otherwise authorized to retain custody of an animal, any impounded animal shall be released to the keeper or keeper's authorized representative upon confirmed payment of the costs of impoundment and care, redemption fees, rabies vaccination deposits, license fees, past due fines, and all fees and deposits related to chasing livestock.

(e) An animal held for the prescribed period and abandoned or otherwise not redeemed by the keeper, and which, in the opinion of the Director, is neither dangerous nor in a dangerous condition of health and can be safely kept, may be released for adoption under the following conditions:

(1) The adoptive keeper shall agree in writing to properly care for the animal, not violate the County ordinances related to dogs or other animals, and that the animal is being adopted as a companion and will not be sold or given away for any other purpose;
(2) Payment of all fees will be set from time to time by the Board of Commissioners;
(3) In the case of a fertile dog or cat, a voucher will be provided to the keeper. The voucher will constitute partial pre-payment for veterinarian services to sterilize the dog or cat. The dollar amount for the voucher will be determined by policy and set by the Board of Commissioners;
(4) The adoptive keeper shall agree in writing to render any adopted dog or cat sexually non-reproductive within 30 days of adoption or upon the animal attaining six months of age, whichever occurs last. The keeper shall tender the voucher as partial payment to a veterinarian to render the dog or cat sexually non-reproductive. Failure to perform the agreement shall result in the voucher being voided and the County may require the return of the adopted dog or cat to the shelter. It is unlawful to fail to return an adopted animal as required by the County.

(f) The County may decline to release an animal for adoption under any of the following circumstances:

(1) The prospective adoptive keeper has a history of County Violation of this Chapter or has been convicted of an animal related crime;
(2) The prospective adoptive keeper has inadequate or inappropriate facilities for confining the animal or for providing proper care to the animal;
(3) The existence of other conditions which in the opinion of the Director would endanger the welfare of the animal or the health, safety and welfare of the people residing in Jackson County.

(g) Any failure or refusal to pay fees, penalties, or costs as provided for in this Chapter after 10 days from the date notice is posted at the Animal Shelter, is deemed abandonment of the impounded animal and the Animal Shelter shall retain the right to dispose of the animal as considered by the Director to be in the best interest of Jackson County.