§ 4-34. Animal Care and Adoption Victim Trust Fund.

(a)

There is hereby created a Broward County Animal Care and Adoption Victim Trust Fund for the purpose of accepting and disbursing a portion of dog or cat bite fees, gifts, grants, awards of money, and other revenue to pay the full or partial medical expenses of dog or cat bite victims.

(b)

The Broward County Animal Care and Adoption Victim Trust Fund shall be self-perpetuating from year to year unless specifically terminated by the Commission. In the event of termination, the Commission shall have sole discretion concerning the distribution of trust assets, provided, however, that any trust assets received and accepted subject to a condition shall be utilized and expended strictly in accordance with such condition.

(c)

All fees, gifts, grants, awards of money, or property, and other revenue received hereunder from either public or private entities shall be deposited in the Broward County Animal Care and Adoption Victim Trust Fund, which shall be separately established and maintained apart from the general revenue funds and accounts of Broward County and held in trust and inure to Broward County, its successors and assigns, and shall be expended, utilized, and disbursed only for the use and benefit of Broward County dog or cat bite victims.

(d)

Three hundred dollars ($300.00) of every first bite fine paid shall be deposited into the Broward County Animal Care and Adoption Victim Trust Fund to assist victims of dog or cat bites with documented, paid medical expenses.

(e)

Monies deposited in and credited to the Broward County Animal Care and Adoption Victim Trust Fund and not expended by the close of any fiscal year shall be carried forward into the succeeding fiscal year. Any fees, gifts, grants, awards, and other revenue received subject to a condition shall be utilized and expended strictly in accordance with such condition.

(f)

There is hereby created a Broward County Animal Care and Adoption Victim Trust Fund Committee consisting of four (4) members, three (3) of whom shall be Broward County residents appointed by the County Administrator. The Director shall serve as the fourth (4th) member but shall be a non-voting member. No trust monies shall be disbursed from the Broward County Animal Care and Adoption Victim Trust Fund unless such expenditures have been authorized by a majority of the Victim Trust Fund Committee. Within its discretion, the Victim Trust Fund Committee shall determine and ascertain the best utilization of trust funds for the benefit of victims.

(g)

The dog or cat owner or keeper cited for a dog or cat bite may elect to pay the victim's medical expenses if such expenses are paid within fifteen (15) calendar days of the bite. In the event the violator pays the victim's medical expenses and complies with all applicable provisions of Chapter 4 of the Broward County Code of Ordinances, the fine to be assessed pursuant to Chapter 40 of the Broward County Administrative Code shall be reduced by three hundred dollars ($300.00).

(h)

The Animal Care Victim Trust Fund shall be capped at twenty thousand dollars ($20,000.00) in annual revenue. Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary in this chapter, all Animal Care Victim Trust Funds exceeding twenty thousand dollars ($20,000.00) at 11:59 p.m. on September 30th of each year shall be deposited into the Animal Care Sterilization Trust Fund, to be used for sterilization programs, as determined by the Director.

(Ord. No. 2003-02, § 1, 1-28-03; Ord. No. 2009-9, § 2, 3-10-09; Ord. No. 2013-10, § 1, 2-12-13; Ord. No. 2015-37 , § 1, 9-10-15)