TITLE 25

ANIMALS

CHAPTER 35

ANIMAL CARE

25-3511.  Permitting animals to go without care — Abandoned animals to be humanely destroyed. Every owner, custodian or possessor of any animal, who shall permit the same to be in any building, enclosure, lane, street, square or lot of any city, county or precinct, without proper care and attention, as determined by an Idaho licensed veterinarian, or a representative of the division, shall, on conviction, be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and shall, upon conviction, be punished in accordance with section 25-3520A, Idaho Code. It shall be the duty of any law enforcement officer or animal care and control officer, subject to the restrictions of section 25-3501A, Idaho Code, to take possession of the animal so abandoned or neglected, and care for the same until final disposition of such animal is determined in accordance with section 25-3520A or 25-3520B, Idaho Code. Every sick, disabled, infirm or crippled animal which shall be abandoned in any city, county or precinct, may if after due search no owner can be found therefor, be humanely destroyed, or other provision made for the animal by or on the order of such officer; and it shall be the duty of all law enforcement officers or animal care and control officers, to cause the same to be humanely destroyed, or other provision made therefor, on information of such abandonment. Subject to the restrictions of section 25-3501A, Idaho Code, such officer may likewise take charge of any animal that by reason of lameness, sickness, feebleness or neglect, is unfit for the activity it is performing, or that in any other manner is being cruelly treated; and, if such animal is not then in custody of its owner, such officer shall give notice thereof to such owner, if known, and may provide suitable care for such animal until final disposition of such animal is determined in accordance with section 25-3520A or 25-3520B, Idaho Code. If, in accordance with this section, a responsible owner cannot be found, the animal may be offered for adoption to a responsible person in lieu of destruction.

History:

[(25-3511) R.C., sec. 7153f, as added by 1909, p. 175, sec. 2; reen. C.L., sec. 7153f; C.S., sec. 8548; I.C.A., sec. 17-4209; reen. 1972, ch. 336, sec. 1, p. 885; am. 1994, ch. 131, sec. 9, p. 299; am. and redesig. 1994, ch. 346, sec. 11, p. 1093; am. 1996, ch. 229, sec. 9, p. 747; am. 2006, ch. 170, sec. 6, p. 526.]