§ 10-14. Impoundment.

(a)

All unlicensed animals and all licensed or unlicensed animals found running at large shall be seized by the animal warden or police officer, if possible, and impounded in the shelter designated as the village animal shelter and there confined in an humane manner. The animal warden shall attempt to ascertain the ownership and notify the owner of any impounded animal in the manner provided in Wis. Stats. § 173-13(3).

(b)

If the ownership of an animal seized under this section is known to the person seizing the animal and the owner is readily located, the person seizing the animal may return the animal directly to the owner without impounding it if the owner has not been previously warned or issued a citation for any violation under this section and it appears that the owner's failure to license the animal or keep it under control was inadvertent.

(c)

When a licensed or unlicensed animal is found running at large, whose ownership is known to the animal warden, such animal need not be impounded, but the owner of such animal may be issued a citation for violation of this section.

(Code 1990, § 12.04(6))