When officers can seize and impound dogs

(a) Seizure of unlicensed dogs. (1) Every officer shall seize any unlicensed dog found running at large or found upon any public highway, street, alley, court, place, square, or grounds, or upon any unfenced lot, or not within a sufficient enclosure, and confine it in a pound or any suitable enclosure for a minimum period of forty-eight hours, during which time it shall be subject to redemption by its owner by payment of the license due, if any, and an impoundment fee of $10. Every dog found without a registration tag affixed to the dog’s collar will be deemed to be unlicensed. (2) If not so redeemed, the dog shall be sold by the officer for the amount of the license and impoundment fee, or as much more as can be obtained therefor, and if not so sold, it shall be humanely destroyed. (3) The owner of any unlicensed dog impounded and not claimed within forty- eight hours as provided in this section, may redeem the dog at any time before sale or destruction by paying to the animal control and protection agency, in addition to the amount of the license and impoundment fee, the sum of $5 per day for the number of days over two days the dog was impounded. (4) Of the moneys so received, the amount of the impoundment fee or kennel fees, if any, shall be paid to the director of finance. 4-7 SUPP. 15 (1-2024) (b) Seizure of licensed stray dogs. (1) Every officer shall seize and impound any licensed stray dog. (2) The officer shall notify the person to whom the license was issued, at the address given in the license certificate, and shall, upon demand made within forty-eight hours thereafter, release the dog to the person upon payment of an impoundment fee of $10. (3) If no person lawfully entitled to the dog shall, within seven days after the date of giving notice, claim the dog, the dog may be sold or destroyed by the animal control and protection agency. (4) The owner of any licensed dog impounded and not claimed within forty-eight hours may redeem the dog at any time before the sale or destruction of the dog by paying to the animal control and protection agency, in addition to the $10 impoundment fee, the sum of $5 per day for the number of days over two days the dog was impounded. (5) All impoundment and kennel fees collected by the animal control and protection agency in any given month shall be deposited by the animal control and protection agency no later than the fifth day of the following month with the finance director to the credit of the County of Hawai‘i general fund account.