(a) Except as otherwise provided in § 143-10, any person who exerts control over a lost animal shall immediately notify the owner of the animal, if known, or an animal control officer of the local humane society chapter of the county in which the animal is found and release the animal to the owner, animal control officer, or humane society chapter. For purposes of this section, “exert control” means any act which constrains an animal including leashing, chaining, or otherwise confining an animal.
