§ 26-26-3. Minimum period of impoundment -- Efforts required to contact owner and to make animal available -- Prerogative of person voluntarily providing animal.

(1) Subject to Subsection (2), the governing body of the county or municipality in which an establishment is located may make available to an authorized institution as many impounded animals in that establishment as the institution may request.

(2) A governing body described in Subsection (1) may not make an impounded animal available to an institution, unless:

(a) the animal has been legally impounded for the longer of:

(i) at least five days; or

(ii) the minimum period provided for by local ordinance;

(b) the animal has not been claimed or redeemed by:

(i) the animal's owner; or

(ii) any other person entitled to claim or redeem the animal; and

(c) the establishment has made a reasonable effort to:

(i) find the rightful owner of the animal, including checking if the animal has a tag or microchip; and

(ii) if the owner is not found, make the animal available to others during the impound period. Owners of animals who voluntarily provide their animals to an establishment may, by signature, determine whether or not the animal may be provided to an institution or used for research or educational purposes.

Amended by Chapter 241, 2010 General Session