(a) Whenever a person is bitten by a dog or other animal, report of such bite shall be made to the Health Commissioner within twenty-four hours. It shall be the duty of anyone having knowledge of a person being bitten by a dog or other animal to report forthwith all of the facts relating to the bite, together with the name and address of the person bitten.
(b) (1) Whenever it is reported to the Commissioner that any dog or cat has bitten a person, that dog or cat shall be quarantined under an order issued by the Commissioner. The dog or cat shall be quarantined by its owner or by a harborer, or shall be quarantined in a pound or kennel. In all cases, such quarantine shall be under supervision of the Commissioner and shall be at the expense of the owner or harborer. Quarantine shall continue until the Commissioner determines that the dog or cat is not afflicted with rabies. The quarantine period hereby required shall not be less than ten days from the date on which the person was bitten. If at any time during the quarantine period, the Commissioner requires the dog or cat to be examined for symptoms of rabies, then the examination shall be by a licensed doctor of veterinary medicine. The veterinarian shall report to the Commissioner the conclusions reached as a result of the examination. The examination by a veterinarian shall be at the expense of the owner or harborer.
(2) No dog or cat shall be released from the required quarantine unless or until it has been properly vaccinated by a licensed veterinarian against rabies. It shall be the responsibility of the animal owner or harborer to have the dog or cat properly vaccinated with verification of said vaccination provided on an “Animal Rabies Immunization Card” issued to the owner/harborer by the Commissioner. The card shall be returned to the Commissioner within seven days from the date issued.
(3) If any quarantined dog or cat dies before the quarantine period expires, then the head of the dog or cat shall be submitted to the Ohio Department of Health laboratories for rabies examination.
(4) If the owner or harbored of the dog or cat is unknown the Health Commissioner may direct that the dog or cat be killed in which case the head of the dog or cat shall be submitted to the Ohio Department of Health laboratories for rabies examination.
(c) Whenever it is reported to the Health Commissioner that any other animal that is commonly known to transmit rabies has bitten a person, the Commission at his or her discretion may direct the immediate killing of the animal by a suitable, humane method. The head of the animal shall then be submitted to the Ohio Department of Health laboratories for rabies examination.
(d) Any person who examines, treats, owns, harbors or otherwise cares for any animal which exhibits symptoms or behavior suggestive of rabies, shall confine and isolate such animal in suitable quarters and shall report such fact within twenty-four hours to the Health Commissioner. Such animal shall be confined until it has been determined that it is not affected with rabies. If it is determined that the animal is rabid, the Commissioner, shall take such action as is necessary to prevent the occurrence of rabies in persons or animals known or presumed to have been exposed to such rabid animal.
(e) Whoever violates any provision of this section is guilty of a minor misdemeanor.
(Ord. 36-83. Passed 6-21-83; Ord. 52-97. Passed 9-2-97.)