§ 6.08.110. Impounded dogs and cats and service fees.

A.

An impounded dog or cat may be redeemed upon payment of the following fees:

(1)

The director shall charge and collect from each person redeeming an unaltered impounded animal a state mandated unaltered animal fine of thirty-five dollars ($35.00) for the first offense, fifty dollars ($50.00) for the second offense, and one hundred dollars ($100.00) for the third offense, plus the actual costs of transporting the animal to impound, the actual costs of veterinary and related services rendered to the animal while impounded, the actual costs of sale incurred, and the actual costs of any extraordinary measures required in of for the handling and maintenance of the animal while impounded.

(2)

The director shall charge and collect from each person redeeming an altered or unaltered impounded animal an impounding fee of fifty dollars ($50.00) for the first offense, one hundred dollars ($100.00) for the second offense, and one hundred fifty dollars ($150.00) for the third offense, plus the actual costs of transporting the animal to impound, the actual costs of veterinary and related services rendered to the animal while impounded, the actual costs of sale incurred, boarding fees, and the actual costs of extraordinary measures required in or for the handling and maintenance of the animal while impounded.

(3)

Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, where a sterile dog or sterile cat belongs to a person sixty (60) years of age or older is impounded and the owner produces a certificate, signed by a veterinarian that such animal is permanently unable to reproduce, the base impoundment fee for such animal shall be fifty (50) percent of the applicable impoundment fee specified in this chapter plus boarding fees.

(4)

A processing fee of twenty-five dollars ($25.00) shall be added to all administrative citations.

(5)

A processing fee of nineteen dollars ($19.00) shall be added to all approved payment plans. This fee is to be charged annually, on the anniversary date, or closest business date after anniversary date.

(6)

A processing fee of twenty-eight dollars ($28.00) will be added to all payment plans sent to the franchise tax board in an effort to collect past due amounts. This fee is to be charged annually, on the anniversary date, or closest business date after anniversary date.

(7)

When a check is presented for payment and the constituents balance in their bank is insufficient to cover the amount of the charge; a fee of twenty-five dollars ($25.00) shall be added to the amount owed by the constituent.

B.

The fee for destruction and disposal of any dog, cat or other small animal in accordance with any provision of this chapter shall be twenty-five dollars ($25.00).

C.

The fee for destruction and disposal of any horse, donkey, burro or other large animal in accordance with any provision of this chapter shall be one hundred ninety-three dollars ($193.00).

D.

Any dog, four months of age or older, which has been impounded shall not be released from impoundment unless it is licensed in accordance with the provisions of this chapter.

E.

An officer acting under the provisions of this chapter who impounds a dog or cat pursuant to Section 6.08.080, Subsection A. or D. of this chapter, shall give written notice of the impound by first class mail, postage prepaid, to the identified address on the animal or last known owner address provided in county records, if the dog or cat is: 1) wearing a Riverside County dog or cat license tag, 2) wearing any other identification tag containing an address, or 3) is micro chipped. If such dog or cat is not redeemed within ten (10) calendar days from the date of the mailing of such notice, the officer having custody of the dog or cat shall dispose of it in accordance with the provisions of section 6.08.110, Subsection H. of this chapter, or shall humanely destroy such dog or cat.

F.

Upon impounding a stray dog pursuant to section 6.08.080, Subsections A. or D. of this chapter or a stray cat, the holding period for such stray dog or cat shall be in accordance with state law, as appearing in California Food and Agricultural Code sections 31752 and 31108 or other such applicable state law, as amended from time to time.

G.

The officer having custody of any impounded dog, cat or other animal may, by humane methods, summarily destroy such dog, cat or other animal if:

1.

The animal is suffering from any incurable, dangerous or contagious disease, providing a veterinarian shall certify, in writing, that such animal is so suffering; or, in the officers best judgment it would be inhumane and cause needless suffering to prolong the life of the animal in order to see a veterinarian; or

2.

It is an unlicensed vicious dog, cat or other animal.

H.

Any officer having in his custody any unredeemed, impounded dog or cat may release such dog or cat to any adult individual upon payment by that individual of the impound fees and charges specified in Subsection A. of this section, or to a nonprofit corporation formed under the provisions of California Corporations Code commencing with Section 10400 for the prevention of cruelty to animals or to a nonprofit organization formed under the laws of the State of California for the prevention of cruelty to animals, for such placement as such nonprofit corporation or nonprofit organization may choose. Releases of dogs or cats to such nonprofit corporations or nonprofit organizations pursuant to Subsection H. of this section shall not be subject to the payment of impound fees and charges specified in Subsection A. of this section.

I.

It shall be unlawful for any person to remove an impounded animal from an animal control shelter or animal control transport vehicle without the permission of the officer in charge thereof.

J.

Animal control officers choosing to return an impounded animal to the owner, in the field may collect a field return impound fee of forty dollars ($40.00).

K.

Animal control officer picking up owned animals at the request of the owner shall collect a fee of thirty dollars ($30.00) from the owner.

L.

Animal control officers investigating and authorizing a home quarantine shall collect a fee of fifty dollars ($50.00) from the owner or custodian of the animal.

M.

Animal control officers providing assistance with trap service, for feral animals or nuisance wildlife that are not considered a public health risk, shall collect a service fee of twenty dollars ($20.00) for the first five days and two dollars ($2.00) per day for each additional day after the fifth day.

1.

A fee of seventy-three dollars ($73.00) shall be charged for all cat traps which are lost or destroyed.

2.

A fee of three hundred fifty-five dollars ($355.00) shall be charged for all dog traps which are lost or destroyed.

3.

A fee of ninety dollars ($90.00) shall be charged for all other traps which are lost or destroyed.

N.

Owners of animals impounded for quarantine at a county facility shall be charged a quarantine fee of ten dollars ($10.00) per day in addition to the regular daily boarding fee.

O.

The hourly rate for the recovery of administrative costs associated with the recoupment of enforcement costs provided in this chapter shall be fifty-three dollars ($53.00).

P.

The fee for a micro-chip identification device shall be twenty-one dollars ($21.00) per animal; the fee shall be twelve dollars ($12.00) when adopting an animal from a county animal shelter.

Q.

The fee for after-hours personnel assistance is one hundred four dollars ($104.00), per hour. The after-hours charge shall commence after the close of normal business hours and shall be in addition to any other applicable fees set forth in this chapter.

R.

The fee(s) for adopting any unredeemed, impounded dog or cat will be based on tiered system that includes vaccinations, micro chipping, deworming, spay or neutering and adoption charges. Senior citizens and disabled people will be charged at fifty (50) percent of the applicable charges. To reduce and/or eliminate the euthanasia of adoptable dogs and cats, the director or his designee shall have the discretion to decrease or entirely wave the adoption fees for last chance adoptions, which are adoptions of urgent animals scheduled for euthanasia. The director or his designee shall have the discretion to decrease the adoption fees of animals adopted at special events in order to promote the adoption of impounded animals. The director or his designee shall also have the discretion to waive fifty (50) percent of the applicable tiered fee if the animal is adopted by the foster care provider currently providing care for the animal or for an employee of the County of Riverside.

The following fees for dogs are based on time in shelter and shall apply as follows:

1.

Dogs zero to fifteen (15) days ..... $105.00

2.

Dogs sixteen (16) to thirty (30) days ..... $55.00

3.

Dogs more than thirty (30) days ..... $20.00

The following fees for cats are based on age of cat or kitten and shall apply as follows:

1.

Kittens eight weeks to four months of age ..... $65.00

2.

Kittens more than four months to one year of age ..... $45.00

3.

Cats more than one year of age ..... $25.00

S.

For animals turned in at shelters, the owner turn-in fee shall be twenty dollars ($20.00).

T.

Animals impounded at a county facility shall be charged a boarding fee of fifteen dollars ($15.00) per day.

U.

The director shall charge and collect from each person the veterinarian and staff rates for the treatment of animals, as set forth below. The director shall also charge and collect for any additional costs for veterinary and related services rendered to the animal, and the actual costs of any extraordinary measures required in or for the handling and maintenance of the animal. Veterinarian and staff rates for the treatment of animals and other related fees shall be as follows:

(1)

An hourly rate of one hundred forty-two dollars and seventy cents ($142.70) for Doctors of Veterinary Medicine (DVM);

(2)

An hourly rate of seventy-nine dollars and eight cents ($79.08) for Supervising Registered Veterinary Technicians (SRVT);

(3)

An hourly rate of seventy-two dollars and fifty-one cents ($72.51) for Registered Veterinary Technicians (RVT);

(4)

An hourly rate of sixty-seven dollars and eighty-five cents ($67.85) for Veterinary Technician (VT);

(5)

An hourly rate of ninety-four dollars and seventy-nine cents ($94.79) for Operations Chiefs;

(6)

A fee of eight dollars ($8.00) for small pain management;

(7)

A fee of fifteen dollars ($15.00) for large animal pain management;

(8)

A fee of eighteen dollars ($18.00) for each injection;

(9)

A fee of thirty-five dollars ($35.00) for sedation;

(10)

A fee of eight dollars ($8.00) for fluids;

(11)

A fee of eight dollars ($8.00) for small animal de-worming;

(12)

A fee of sixteen dollars ($16.00) for large animal de-worming;

(13)

A fee of twenty-five dollars ($25.00) for large animal tube de-worming, commonly referred to as tube worming;

(14)

A fee of twenty dollars ($20.00) to clip/clean;

(15)

A fee of eighteen dollars ($18.00) for each horse vaccine;

(16)

A fee of seventy-five dollars ($75.00) for exploratory surgery;

(17)

A fee of eight dollars ($8.00) for topical flea/tick treatment, also referred to as frontline;

(18)

A fee of seventy dollars ($70.00) for animal emergency clinic fees;

(19)

A fee of twenty dollars ($20.00) for each night animal is held overnight at emergency clinic;

(20)

A fee of seventy dollars ($70.00) for the first view of an X-ray; a fee of twenty dollars ($20.00) for the 2 ^nd and any subsequent view of an X-ray;

(21)

A fee of fifteen dollars ($15.00) for small animal daily oral medication; and

(22)

A fee of twenty-five dollars ($25.00) for large animal daily oral medication.

V.

The director shall charge and collect from any contracted city the county's standard field and sheltering rates for services provided as set forth below. In addition, the director shall charge and collect from any contracted city the county's standard community outreach event and enforcement sweep rates for services provided and other related fees, as set forth below. Provided however that, upon a showing of extreme financial hardship by a city under contract with the county as of September 15, 2011 as to the impact of the standard rates and fees herein upon the cost of the existing services, the director may negotiate a service contract containing reduced contract rates and fees with such contract subject to the approval of the Riverside County Board of Supervisors. The standard rates and fees shall be as follows:

(1)

An annual contract rate of one hundred twenty-seven thousand twenty-six dollars ($127,026.00) for one full-time animal control officer (ACO) working for a total of two thousand eighty (2,080) hours annually during regular shifts between the hours of 7:30 a.m. through 5:00 p.m. less county holidays;

(2)

An annual contract rate of sixty-three thousand five hundred thirteen dollars ($63,513.00) for one half-time animal control officer (ACO) working for a total of one thousand forty (1,040) hours annually during regular shifts between the hours of 7:30 a.m. through 5:00 p.m. less county holidays;

(3)

A contract hourly rate of eighty-two dollars ($82.00) per hour for an animal control officer (ACO) with a two-hour minimum charge per service call;

(4)

A contract overtime hourly rate of eighty-two dollars ($82.00) per hour for an animal control officer (ACO) with a two-hour minimum charge per service call;

(5)

Where a contract for service provides for six or more officers, an annual contract rate of one hundred twenty-seven thousand twenty-six dollars ($127,026.00) for one dedicated full-time sergeant of field services working for a total of two thousand eighty (2,080) hours annually during regular shifts between the hours of 7:30 a.m. through 5:00 p.m. less county holidays;

(6)

An annual contract rate of eighty-nine thousand three hundred fifteen dollars ($89,315.00) for one full-time license inspector (LI) working for a total of two thousand eighty (2,080) hours annually during regular shifts between the hours of 7:30 a.m. through 5:00 p.m. less county holidays;

(7)

A contract fee of two thousand four hundred sixty dollars ($2,460.00) for an enforcement sweep - six-hour day;

(8)

A contract fee of two thousand five hundred fifty-three dollars ($2,553.00) per community outreach event - full day of service (nine (9) hours), provided however that one outreach event may be included at no charge to a contracting city for each increment of one thousand six hundred (1,600) impounded dogs and cats that are projected for any fiscal year ("FY") covered by the contract;

(9)

An annual sheltering contract rate of seventy-six dollars ($76.00) multiplied by total number of impounded dogs and cats for the most recent prior fiscal year ("FY") for Blythe Shelter;

(10)

An annual sheltering contract rate of one hundred fifteen dollars ($115.00) multiplied by total number of impounded dogs and cats for the most recent prior fiscal year ("FY") for Coachella Valley Animal Campus Shelter;

(11)

An annual sheltering contract rate of one hundred thirty-eight dollars ($138.00) multiplied by total number of impounded dogs and cats for the most recent prior fiscal year ("FY") for Riverside Animal Campus Shelter;

(12)

An annual sheltering contract rate of eighty-one dollars ($81.00) multiplied by total number of impounded dogs and cats for the most recent prior fiscal year ("FY") for San Jacinto Animal Campus Shelter.

(Ord. No. 630.16, § 11, 1-5-2016)