Owners of dogs and cats shall comply with the provisions of this section.
(1) Vaccination. The owner of every dog or cat shall have the animal vaccinated against rabies at four months of age, again at 16 months of age and then every three years by a licensed veterinarian or by a certified rabies vaccinator with a rabies vaccine approved by the United States Department of Agriculture and approved by the North Carolina Commission for Health Services for use in this state.
(2) Rabies tags. A licensed veterinarian or a certified rabies vaccinator who administers rabies vaccine to a dog or cat shall issue a rabies vaccination tag to the owner of the animal. The rabies vaccination tag shall show the year issued, a vaccination number, the words North Carolina or the initials "NC" and the words "rabies vaccine". The owner shall make sure that the dog or cat wears the rabies tag at all times.
(3) Rabies vaccination certificates. The owner of a dog or cat must be able to produce a current rabies vaccination certificate. This certificate shall be issued by a licensed veterinarian or a certified vaccinator at the time the dog or cat is vaccinated. A copy of the certificate shall also be mailed or delivered to the animal services director by the licensed veterinarian or certified rabies vaccinator within 45 days of the animal being vaccinated. The animal services director may implement another method for collecting vaccination certificates. Brunswick County residents who have their animals vaccinated outside of Brunswick County are responsible for filing the rabies vaccination certificate within animal services within five days of the inoculation or within five days of their return to the local area.
(4) Nontransferable. Rabies tags cannot be transferred from animal to animal.
(5) Lost, destroyed or stolen rabies tags. If a rabies tag is lost, destroyed or stolen, a duplicate tag must be obtained from the veterinarian at a fee not to exceed the actual cost of the tag, link and rivets, plus transportation cost.
(Ord. No. 2007-1001, Art. II, (2), 10-26-2007; Ord. No. 2007-1003, 10-26-2007)