Impoundment and disposition of roaming, injured or mistreated animals. Authority to spay or neuter unclaimed dog. Liability for provision of veterinary care to injured, sick or diseased impounded animal.

(b) If such dog or other domestic animal is not claimed by and released to the owner within seven days after the date of publication, such officer, upon finding such dog or other domestic animal to be in satisfactory health, may have a licensed veterinarian spay or neuter such dog and sell such dog or other domestic animal to any person who satisfies such officer that such person is purchasing such dog or other domestic animal as a pet and that such person can give it a good home and proper care. Such officer may retain possession of such dog or other domestic animal for such additional period of time as such officer may deem advisable in order to place such dog or other domestic animal as a pet and may have a licensed veterinarian spay or neuter such dog. If, within such period, any dog or other domestic animal is not claimed by and released to the owner or keeper or purchased as a pet, the officer shall cause such dog or other domestic animal to be humanely euthanized by a licensed veterinarian or disposed of as the State Veterinarian may direct. Any veterinarian who so euthanizes a dog shall be paid from the dog fund account. No person who euthanizes a dog or other domestic animal shall be held criminally or civilly liable therefor nor shall any licensed veterinarian who spays or neuters a dog pursuant to this section be held civilly liable. (c) The town treasurer or other fiscal officer shall pay from the dog fund account the advertising expense incurred under the provisions of this section upon receipt of an itemized statement together with a copy of the advertisement as published. Any person who purchases a dog as a pet shall pay a fee of five dollars and procure a license and tag for such dog from the town clerk, in accordance with the provisions of section 22-338 . In addition to the five-dollar fee, any person who purchases a dog as a pet may be charged the cost the municipality incurred, if any, to spay or neuter and vaccinate the dog, provided such charge shall not exceed one hundred fifty dollars. (d) No regional or municipal dog pound facility, municipality, animal control officer or regional animal control officer appointed pursuant to section 22-328 , 22-331 , or 22-331a , as applicable, or public or private nonprofit animal rescue organization that arranges for the provision of treatment by a licensed veterinarian to an injured, sick or diseased animal pursuant to a contract described in section 22-332e shall be held civilly liable for such actions unless such actions are performed in a wanton, reckless or malicious manner. No licensed veterinarian who provides treatment free of charge or for a reduced fee, to an injured, sick or diseased animal as a direct result of a contract described in section 22-332e shall be held civilly liable for the provision of such treatment unless such actions are performed in a wilful, wanton or reckless manner. An unregistered dog is not an outlaw to be killed summarily at a whim of any individual. 18 CS 53.