Taking possession or humane destruction of animal being treated cruelly; notice to owner; lien for cost of care; forfeiture and disposition of animal; limitations on liability of certain governmental officers and entities and veterinary personnel.
Nev. Rev. Stat. § 574.055
in effectExcept as otherwise provided in NRS 574.201 to 574.204, inclusive:
1. Any peace officer or animal control officer shall, upon discovering any animal which is being treated cruelly, take possession of the animal and:
(a) Provide the animal with shelter and care; or
(b) Destroy the animal in a humane manner if:
(1) The officer obtains written permission from the owner of the animal;
(2) The officer obtains an order from a court; or
(3) A veterinarian, veterinarian technician or euthanasia technician licensed pursuant to chapter 638 of NRS, examines the animal and recommends that the animal be humanely destroyed.
2. If an officer takes possession of an animal, the officer shall give to the owner, if the owner can be found, a notice containing a written statement of the reasons for the taking, the location where the animal will be cared for and sheltered, the fact that there is a limited lien on the animal for the cost of shelter and care and, if applicable, notice of the right of the owner to request a hearing pursuant to NRS 574.203 not later than 7 calendar days after receipt of the notice. If the owner is not present at the taking and the officer cannot find the owner after a reasonable search, the officer shall post the notice on the property from which the officer takes the animal. If the identity and address of the owner are later determined, the notice must be mailed to the owner immediately after the determination is made.
3. An officer who takes possession of an animal pursuant to this section has a lien on the animal for the reasonable cost of care and shelter furnished to the animal and, if applicable, for its humane destruction. The lien does not extend to the cost of care and shelter for more than 2 weeks.
4. If the owner of an animal has been notified in accordance with the provisions of subsection 2 and the owner does not request a hearing pursuant to NRS 574.203 or the owner has not been found not later than 7 calendar days after the required notice has been posted on the property where the animal was found, the animal is forfeited to the county, city or other local government which took possession of the animal for disposition as the county, city or other local government sees fit, which may include, without limitation, the humane destruction of the animal or transferring ownership of the animal to an animal rescue organization, animal shelter or another person who is able to provide adequate care and shelter to the animal.
5. The State, political subdivisions of the State, any public officers or employees of the State or political subdivisions of the State, and any veterinarian, veterinarian technician or euthanasia technician who recommends the humane destruction of an animal pursuant to subsection 1 are not liable for any action arising out of the taking or humane destruction of the animal.
Source: NV Statutes (Official Site)URL: https://www.leg.state.nv.us/nrs/NRS-574.htmlFetched: 10/4/2026