§ 117. Seizure of dogs; redemption periods; impoundment fees;
adoption. 1. Any dog control officer or peace officer, acting pursuant
to his special duties, or police officer in the employ of or under
contract to a municipality shall seize:

(a) any dog which is not identified and which is not on the owner's
premises;

(b) any dog which is not licensed, whether on or off the owner's
premises;

(c) any licensed dog which is not in the control of its owner or
custodian or not on the premises of the dog's owner or custodian, if
there is probable cause to believe the dog is dangerous; and

(d) any dog which poses an immediate threat to the public safety.

Promptly upon seizure the dog control officer shall commence a
proceeding as provided for in subdivision two of section one hundred
twenty-three of this article.

1-a. Notwithstanding the seizure requirements provided in subdivision
one of this section, dog control officer or peace officer, acting
pursuant to his or her special duties, or police officer in the employ
of or under contract to a municipality may, if there is no probable
cause to believe the dog is dangerous, return any dog with a current
license directly to the dog's owner or custodian of record at the
address provided on such dog's license.

2. Any dog control officer or peace officer, acting pursuant to his
special duties, or police officer in the employ of or under contract to
a municipality may seize any dog in violation of any local law or
ordinance relating to the control of dogs, adopted by any municipality
pursuant to the provisions of this article.

3. Each dog seized in accordance with the provisions of this article
shall be properly sheltered, fed and watered for the redemption period
as hereinafter provided.

4. Each dog which is not identified, whether or not licensed, shall be
held for a period of five days from the day seized during which period
the dog may be redeemed by its owner, provided that such owner produces
proof that the dog has been licensed and has been identified pursuant to
the provisions of this article and further provided that the owner pays
the following impoundment fees:

(a) not less than ten dollars for the first impoundment of any dog
owned by that person;

(b) not less than twenty dollars for the first twenty-four hours or
part thereof and three dollars for each additional twenty-four hours or
part thereof for the second impoundment, within one year of the first
impoundment, of any dog owned by that person; or

(c) not less than thirty dollars for the first twenty-four hours or
part thereof and three dollars for each additional twenty-four hours or
part thereof for the third and subsequent impoundments, within one year
of the first impoundment, of any dog owned by that person.

The impoundment fees set forth in paragraphs (a), (b) and (c) of this
subdivision notwithstanding, any municipality may set by local law or
ordinance such fees in any amount.

5. All impoundment fees shall be the property of the municipality to
which they are paid and shall be used only for controlling dogs and
enforcing this article and any rule, regulation, or local law or
ordinance adopted pursuant thereto, including subsidizing the spaying or
neutering of dogs and any facility as authorized under section one
hundred sixteen of this article used therefor, and subsidizing public
humane education programs in responsible dog ownership.

6. Promptly upon seizure of any identified dog, the owner of record of
such dog shall be notified personally or by certified mail, return
receipt requested, of the facts of seizure and the procedure for
redemption. If notification is personally given, such dog shall be held
for a period of seven days after day of notice, during which period the
dog may be redeemed by the owner. If such notification is made by mail,
such dog shall be held for a period of nine days from the date of
mailing, during which period the dog may be redeemed by the owner. In
either case, the owner may redeem such dog upon payment of the
impoundment fees prescribed by subdivision four of this section and by
producing proof that the dog has been licensed.

7. An owner shall forfeit title to any dog unredeemed at the
expiration of the appropriate redemption period, and the dog shall then
be made available for adoption or euthanized subject to subdivisions
six, eight and nine of this section and subject to the provisions of
section three hundred seventy-four of this chapter. Any municipality may
by local law or ordinance establish additional conditions for adoption
including the requirement that adopted dogs shall be spayed or neutered
before or after release from custody upon such terms and conditions as
the municipality may establish.

7-a. Any animal in the custody of a pound or shelter shall be made
available for adoption or euthanized subject to subdivisions six, eight
and nine of this section and subject to the provisions of section three
hundred seventy-four of this chapter after the time for redemption has
expired; provided, however, that such release may be made to another
such pound, duly incorporated society for the prevention of cruelty to
animals, duly incorporated humane society or duly incorporated animal
protective association for the sole purpose of placing such animal in an
adoptive home, when such action is reasonably believed to improve the
opportunity for adoption.

8. The redemption periods set forth above in this section
notwithstanding, any municipality may establish the duration of such
periods by local law or ordinance, provided that no such period shall be
less than three days, except that where notice to the owner is given by
mail, no such period shall be less than seven days.

9. Any dog, owned by a resident of any city having a population of
over two million or by a non-resident of this state, seized and
impounded pursuant to the provisions of this article, and whose owner
can be identified, shall be subject to subdivision six of this section.
If the dog is licensed pursuant to the provisions of law of the area of
the owner's residence, the licensing requirements of this article shall
not apply provided such dog is not harbored within this state outside
any city having a population of over two million for a period exceeding
thirty days.

10. The seizure of any dog shall not relieve any person from any
violation provided for by section one hundred eighteen of this article.

11. No liability in damages or otherwise shall be incurred on account
of the seizure, euthanization or adoption of any dog pursuant to the
provisions of this article.