Minnesota Session Laws - 1985, Regular Session

  

                         Laws of Minnesota 1985 

                         CHAPTER 69-H.F.No. 656 
           An act relating to local government; allowing for an 
          increase in the appropriation a county may make for a 
          county humane society in any year; authorizing the 
          Otter Tail county board to adopt an ordinance for the 
          control of dogs and cats; amending Minnesota Statutes 
          1984, section 343.11. 
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
    Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1984, section 343.11, is 
amended to read: 
    343.11 [ACQUISITION OF PROPERTY, APPROPRIATIONS.] 
    Every county society for the prevention of cruelty to 
animals may acquire, by purchase, gift, grant, or devise, and 
hold, use, or convey, real estate and personal property, and 
lease, mortgage, sell, or use the same in any manner conducive 
to its interest, to the same extent as natural persons.  The 
county board of any county, or the council of any city, in which 
such societies exist, may, in its discretion, appropriate for 
the maintenance and support of such societies in the transaction 
of the work for which they are organized, any sums of money not 
otherwise appropriated, not exceeding $4,800 in any one year not 
to exceed in any one year the sum of $4,800 or the sum of 50 
cents per capita based upon the county's or city's population as 
of the most recent federal census, whichever is greater; 
provided, that no part of the appropriation shall be expended 
for the payment of the salary of any officer of the society.  
    Sec. 2.  [OTTER TAIL COUNTY; DOG AND CAT CONTROL.] 
    The Otter Tail county board may adopt an ordinance to 
provide for the control of dogs and cats within the county.  It 
may contain provisions relating to the following. 
    (a) The county may declare certain activities of a dog or 
cat off the property of its owner or the person who has it in 
possession to be a nuisance. 
    (b) The county may establish a procedure to quarantine and 
control dogs or cats involved in bite cases including a 
procedure for the humane destruction of a dog or cat which has a 
history of biting more than one person.  An administrative 
hearing allowing due process to the owner or person in 
possession of the dog or cat must occur before the destruction. 
    (c) The sheriff, department of public health, or the Otter 
Tail county humane society may impound a dog or cat that creates 
a nuisance and provide for its humane destruction if it is not 
reclaimed after five days' notice to its owner or the person who 
has it in possession. 
    (d) The county may provide misdemeanor penalties for a 
person who permits a dog or cat to create a nuisance. 
    (e) The county may provide that the owner or person in 
possession of a dog or cat shall be responsible for all the 
costs of confinement, including costs for veterinary services 
and rabies immunization, as a result of an impoundment that 
occurs under the ordinance. 
    Sec. 3.  [EFFECTIVE DATE.] 
    Section 1 of this act is effective the day after final 
enactment. 
    Section 2 of this act is effective the day after compliance 
with Minnesota Statutes, section 645.021, subdivision 3, by the 
governing body of Otter Tail county. 
    Approved May 6, 1985