§3004. Impounding livestock found at large upon highways

A. All sheriffs, deputy sheriffs, constables, and justices of the peace shall, and any other person may, take possession of and impound any livestock found at large upon any public highway of this state in any ward where livestock is presently prohibited from roaming at large or may hereafter be prohibited from roaming at large as hereinafter provided for. Any livestock so taken and impounded shall be impounded in the parish in which taken and when taken by a sheriff, deputy sheriff, constable, or justice of the peace, the owner thereof shall be notified personally or by leaving written notice at the place of his residence within twenty-four hours after taking possession of such livestock. Any person other than a sheriff, deputy sheriff, constable, or justice of the peace taking possession of and impounding livestock shall immediately notify the sheriff of the parish in which the livestock is taken and said sheriff shall, within twenty-four hours of such notification, notify the owner in the manner hereinabove provided.

B.(1) Except as provided in Paragraph (2) of this Subsection, the owner of livestock so taken shall have the right to secure his livestock upon the payment to the officer or person taking up the livestock a fee of ten dollars for each head of livestock taken. He shall also pay to the person taking and impounding such livestock the cost of feeding and caring for such livestock at the rate of two dollars per day for each animal.

(2) Except during a gubernatorially declared state of emergency, in Vermilion Parish, the owner of livestock so taken shall have the right to secure his livestock upon the payment to the officer or person taking up the livestock a fee of one hundred dollars for the first head of livestock taken and twenty dollars for each head taken thereafter if the officer secures the livestock. He shall also pay to the person taking and impounding such livestock the cost of feeding and caring for such livestock at the rate of three dollars per day for each animal. During a gubernatorially declared state of emergency, the provisions of Paragraph (1) of this Subsection shall apply to Vermilion Parish.

Added by Acts 1958, No. 399, §1. Amended by Acts 1977, No. 503, §1, eff. July 13, 1977; Acts 1999, No. 1065, §1; Acts 2006, No. 756, §1.