Q: Is is legal for animal control to keep my dog for however long they want and maybe or maybe not charge my husband?
My dog was impounded by Sacramento CA animal control because of a video my neighbor took of my husband in our backyard yelling/allegedly throwing "something" at the dog (the video is through the fence nothing but shapes and voices can be heard/seen). We had our hearing with animal control and the hearing official deemed the impoundment legal and now we have to pay the fees associated with the impoundment and care of the animal. That is fine. What I'm more concerned about is that they say there is an on going investigation and haven't given a time line of when we might get our dog back or if they are going to charge my husband with a crime. This all happened on July 10th. I'm just looking for some answers/help because the officer at animal control has not given us any.
A:
Animal control can impound a dog if they have reasonable cause to believe there was mistreatment or cruelty to the animal. However, they should follow established procedures and timeframes for investigations and notify you of the charges and status of your dog promptly. It is advisable to request written information on the investigation's progress and consult with an attorney if needed to understand your rights and options under California law.
James L. Arrasmith
Founder and Chief Legal Counsel of The Law Offices of James L. Arrasmith
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