Chapter 8.04
RUNNING AT LARGE
Sections:
8.04.020 Prohibition on animals running at large.
8.04.030 Impoundment of animals running at large in violation of law.
8.04.010 Reserved.
(Ord. 1115 Sec. 1, 2024; Ord. 399 Sec. 1, 1977)
8.04.020 Prohibition on animals running at large.
A. No person, having charge, control or custody of any domestic bovine animal, horse, mule, burro, sheep, goat, alpaca, llama, emu, camel, ostrich or swine, shall permit such animal to wander, run at large, pasture, or graze in or on any public street, alley, sidewalk, or other public place within the City or in or upon the gardens, yards, fields, or premises of any person in the City, other than that of the owner or person having charge of such animal. Such conduct is declared to be a nuisance and it is unlawful for the owner, or the person having charge, control or custody of any such animal, to suffer or permit the same to run at large within the City.
B. Roosters. No person who, in the past 24 months, has been convicted of a crime for, pled no contest to a crime for, or been found liable in any administrative proceeding for violating any local, State, or Federal law or regulation regarding or pertaining to roosters shall permit his, her, or its roosters to wander, run at large, forage or graze in or on any public street, alley, sidewalk, or other public place within the City or in or upon the gardens, yards, fields, or premises of any person in the City, other than that of the owner or person having charge of such rooster. Such conduct is declared to be a nuisance and it is unlawful for the owner, or the person having charge, control or custody of any such animal to suffer or permit the same to run at large within the City. (Ord. 1115 Sec. 1, 2024; Ord. 399, Sec. 2, 1977)
8.04.030 Impoundment of animals running at large in violation of law.
A. It shall be the duty of the Officer of Animal Services upon finding any such animal wandering, running at large, pasturing, or grazing in violation of this chapter or State, Federal, or other applicable law to place such animal in confinement. Within 24 hours after such seizure, the Officer of Animal Services shall give written notice to the owner or person having charge or custody of the animal, if known, by personal service, certified mail, or by leaving said notice with a responsible adult at the residence. Upon receipt of such notice, the owner or person having charge or custody of the animal shall immediately claim or make arrangements to claim such animal and pay the impoundment fee and all other costs incurred for the care of the animal while in confinement, including, but not limited to, the cost of transportation and feed.
B. Impounded animals will not be returned unless, following their return, the total number of animals on the property to which the animals will be kept fully complies with this code and State, Federal, and other applicable laws. (Ord. 1115 Sec. 1, 2024; Ord. 399, Sec. 3, 1977)
8.04.040 Unclaimed animals.
A. In the case of unclaimed bovine animals where the owner has been notified but has not claimed the animal, the Officer of Animal Services shall notify the Director of the Food and Agriculture Department within three days after impoundment and dispose of the animal pursuant to subsection (D) of this section.
B. In the case of unclaimed bovine animals where ownership cannot be determined, the Officer of Animal Services shall, within three days after impoundment, relinquish possession of such animals to the Director of the Food and Agriculture Department of the State of California.
C. In the case of all other large animals, including horses, burros, sheep, goat, alpaca, llama, emu, camel, ostrich or swine and mules, the Officer of Animal Services shall notify the Director of the Food and Agriculture Department pursuant to the provisions of the State Agriculture Code and dispose of the animal in accordance with the provisions of subsection (D) of this section.
D. Where a large animal has been impounded in accordance with the provisions of this chapter, the Officer of Animal Services shall have a lien for compensation in transporting, boarding, feeding, or pasturing the animal; and, except as provided in subsection (B) of this section, shall dispose of such unclaimed large animals and recover the costs incurred during impoundment as follows: on or after the thirteenth day of impoundment, a notice of public auction shall be published once in a newspaper published in the City. The notice shall contain an accurate description of the animal to be sold, together with the term of sale, which must be for cash, payable on the consummation of the sale. The notice shall also specify the date of auction, which date shall provide at least 10 days’ but not more than 20 days’ notice of said auction. The proceeds of the sale shall be applied to the discharge of the costs incurred, including the cost of sale, and the remainder, if any, shall be paid into the City Treasury.
E. In all other cases involving animals not specified in subsections (B) and (C) of this section, the Officer of Animal Services shall place the animal with the Norco Animal Shelter, which shall dispose of the animal in accordance with that shelter’s policies. (Ord. 1115 Sec. 1, 2024; Ord. 783, 2001;Ord. 399, Sec. 4, 1977)