Legal Documents of New Market

Any dog found running at large may be seized by the animal control officer or any police officer and placed in a pound provided or designated by the board of mayor and aldermen. If said dog is wearing a tag the owner shall be notified in person, by telephone, or by a postcard addressed to his last-known mailing address to appear within five (5) days and redeem his dog by paying a reasonable pound fee, or the dog will be humanely destroyed or sold. If said dog is not wearing a tag it shall be humanely destroyed or sold unless legally claimed by the owner within two (2) days. No dog shall be released in any event from the pound unless or until such dog has been vaccinated and had a tag evidencing such vaccination placed on its collar.

When, because of its viciousness or apparent infection with rabies, a dog found running at large cannot be safely impounded it may be summarily destroyed by the animal control officer or any policeman.² (1983 Code, § 3-207, modified)