34Costs

34 Costs

(1)  In this section –

reasonable costs of detaining or treating includes the cost of detaining, treating, boarding, handling and transporting a cat;

treating, in relation to a cat, means all or any of the following:

(a) desexing the cat;

(b) microchipping the cat;

(c) treatment by a veterinary surgeon required as a result of injury to, or illness of, the cat.

(2)  The reasonable costs of detaining or treating a cat under this Act –

(a) are to be borne by the owner of the cat; and

(b) must be paid before the cat can be returned to the owner.

(3)  A council, cat management facility or authorised person may recover, in a court of competent jurisdiction, the reasonable costs of detaining or treating a cat under this Act as a debt due to the council, cat management facility or authorised person by the owner.