1.    Any animal placed in the custody of a licensed doctor of veterinary medicine for treatment, boarding, or other care, which is abandoned by its owner or its owner’s agent for a period of more than ten days after a written notice, by registered or certified letter, return receipt requested, is given to the owner or its owner’s agent at the last-known address, may be turned over to the custody of the nearest humane society or dog pound in the area or disposed of as such custodian may deem proper.

2.    The giving of notice to the owner, or the agent of the owner, of such animal by the doctor of veterinary medicine, as provided in subsection 1, shall relieve the doctor of veterinary medicine and any custodian to whom such animal may be given of any further liability for disposal; it is further provided that such procedure by the licensed doctor of veterinary medicine does not constitute grounds for disciplinary procedure under this chapter.

3.    For the purpose of this section, the term “abandoned” means to forsake entirely or to neglect or refuse to provide or perform the care and support of an animal by its owner or its owner’s agent; such abandonment constitutes the relinquishment of all rights and claim by the owner of such animal.