(a) Any regional or municipal dog pound facility may enter into a contract with one or more public or private nonprofit animal rescue organizations for the payment by such animal rescue organization of the costs for providing treatment by a licensed veterinarian to an injured, sick or diseased animal that is impounded at such regional or municipal dog pound facility. Such contract shall provide that: (1) No costs associated with the provision of such treatment shall accrue to the municipality as a result of such contract, (2) the selection of the licensed veterinarian to provide such treatment shall be made by the public or private nonprofit animal rescue organization that will be responsible for the remittance of payment to such licensed veterinarian who provides such treatment, (3) the determination of whether an animal is injured, sick or diseased and in need of veterinary treatment shall be made by a regional or municipal animal control officer who has custody of such animal, provided if any employee or volunteer of such regional or municipal dog pound facility notifies such animal control officer that an animal is injured, sick or diseased and in need of such veterinary treatment such animal control officer shall contact such public or private nonprofit animal rescue organization to arrange for the treatment of such animal by a licensed veterinarian, and (4) not later than twenty-four hours after receipt of a request from such municipal or regional dog pound facility that such public or private nonprofit animal rescue organization arrange for the provision of such treatment to an injured, sick or diseased animal impounded at such facility, such animal rescue organization shall select a licensed veterinarian to provide such treatment and take custody or control of such animal, as applicable, for the purpose of having such licensed veterinarian provide immediate treatment to such injured, sick or diseased animal. Nothing in this section shall be construed to affect any protection provided to any animal pursuant to any statute, regulation or ordinance.
(b) Notwithstanding subsection (a) of this section, if any person observes or reasonably believes that a municipal or regional animal control officer failed to provide any animal that is under the custody and control of such animal control officer with proper care, including, but not limited to, veterinary care, such person may file a complaint with the Department of Agriculture's State Animal Control Division. Not later than twenty-four hours after receipt of any such complaint, such division shall take action as the division deems necessary to secure proper care for such animal, except if such complaint is received on a Saturday or Sunday, such action shall be taken on the next business day.
(c) Each municipal and regional dog pound facility shall maintain a list of any public or private nonprofit animal rescue organization that notifies such dog pound facility of such animal rescue organization's interest in entering into a contract described in subsection (a) of this section.
(P.A. 11-111, S. 1.)