§143-15 Contracts for seizing and impounding dogs. Any county may contract with any society or organization formed for the prevention of cruelty to animals, or similar dog protective organization, for the seizure and impounding of all unlicensed dogs, and for the maintenance of a shelter or pound for unlicensed dogs, and for lost, strayed, and homeless dogs, and for the destruction or other disposition of seized dogs not redeemed as provided in this chapter. The county may prescribe in the contract the manner in which the work is to be done by the society or organization and it may also direct the disposition to be made of all dogs seized pursuant to this chapter. [L 1941, c 268, §14; RL 1945, §7165; RL 1955, §156-15; HRS §143-15]
Attorney General Opinions
The plain language and legislative history of this section and §143-16 made very clear that legislature intended to authorize county reliance upon private humane societies to impound stray dogs within their borders; this can be accomplished only if §§76-16(17) and 76-77(10) are interpreted broadly. Att. Gen. Op. 97-6.