47-122a. Livestock running at large; taking up such livestock by county sheriff; notice; sale; disposition of proceeds of sale; consolidated law enforcement department. (a) Whenever the owner or the owner's authorized agent allows any livestock to run at large, in violation of K.S.A. 47-122, and amendments thereto, and such livestock remains on the property of another person, at the request of such person upon whose property the livestock are running at large, the sheriff of the county in which such livestock are running at large may take such livestock into custody and retain them in a secure holding area.

(b) The county sheriff shall give notice to the owner or the owner's authorized agent within 24 hours after taking such livestock into custody that the owner or the owner's authorized agent has 10 days within which to claim such livestock and to pay all actual costs for taking up, keeping and feeding of such livestock.

(c) If the owner or the owner's authorized agent fails to claim the livestock and to pay all actual costs within the ten-day period, the county sheriff shall cause the livestock to be delivered to a public livestock market or to a secure holding area approved by the animal health commissioner. If the livestock is delivered to the market, the county sheriff shall cause such livestock to be sold at such market to the highest bidder for cash. Livestock held in a secure holding area other than a livestock market shall be advertised by the county sheriff in the official county newspaper and sold to the highest bidder for cash.

(d) The county sheriff shall pay out of the proceeds from the sale of such livestock, all actual costs for taking up, keeping and feeding of such livestock. Any proceeds remaining in the hands of the sheriff after payment of all actual costs, shall be paid to the owner of the livestock or the owner's authorized agent. If the owner or the owner's authorized agent is not known or cannot be located, the proceeds remaining after the payment of actual costs shall be paid to the county treasurer of the county in which the livestock were running at large. Such funds shall be deposited by the county treasurer in the county's special stray fund provided for in K.S.A. 47-239, and amendments thereto.

(e) In counties having a consolidated law enforcement department, the provisions of this section relating to sheriffs shall be deemed to refer to such department.

History: L. 1979, ch. 167, § 1; L. 1997, ch. 129, § 1; L. 2012, ch. 140, § 8; July 1.