(A) (1) An animal that has rabies or shows signs of having rabies and every animal bitten by another animal affected with rabies or that has been exposed to rabies, shall be reported by the owner as set forth above and shall immediately be confined in a secure place by the owner.
(2) The owner shall turn over the animal to the Animal Control Agents upon demand.
(B) (1) The owner of any animal or species subject to rabies, which has been bitten by another animal known to be capable of harboring the rabies virus, shall surrender the animal to an authorized official upon demand.
(2) Any person authorized to enforce this chapter may enter upon private property to seize the animal if the owner refuses to surrender the animal.
(C) (1) Any animal of a species subject to rabies that bites a person or animal or is suspected of having rabies may be seized and quarantined for observation for a period of not less than 12 days by the Animal Control Department. The owner of the animal shall bear the cost of confinement.
(2) The Animal Shelter shall be the normal place for such quarantine but other arrangements, including confinement by the owner, may be made by the Animal Control Department if the animal has current rabies vaccinations at the time the bite is inflicted or if there are other special circumstances justifying an exception. A person who has custody of an animal under quarantine shall immediately notify the Animal Control Department if the animal shows any signs of sickness or abnormal behavior or if the animal escapes confinement.
(3) It is unlawful for any person who has custody of a quarantined animal to fail or refuse to allow a health or Animal Control Officer to make an inspection or examination during the period of quarantine. If the animal dies within 12 days from the date of the bite, the person having custody shall immediately notify the Animal Control Department in order that the Department may immediately remove and deliver the head to the state’s Health Department.
(4) If, at the end of the 12-day period, an investigating officer of the Department of Animal Care and Control examines the animal and finds no sign of rabies, the animal may be released to the owner, or in the case of a stray, it shall be disposed of as provided in § 90.078 of this chapter.
(D) (1) In the case of an unvaccinated animal species subject to rabies, which is known to have been bitten by a known rabid animal, such bitten or exposed animal shall be immediately destroyed.
(2) If the owner is unwilling to destroy the bitten or exposed animal, the animal shall be immediately isolated and quarantined for six months under veterinary supervision, the cost of such confinement to be paid in advance by the owner. The animal shall be destroyed if the owner does not comply herewith.
(E) (1) If the bitten animal is currently vaccinated and not revaccinated within 24 hours, the animal shall be isolated and quarantined under veterinary supervision for ten days.
(2) The animal shall be destroyed if the owner does not comply with division (E)(1) above or this division (E)(2), regarding exposure by known rabid animals.
(F) It shall be unlawful for any person to remove any such animal from the place of quarantine without written permission of the Chief of Police of the city.
(Prior Code, § 4.06.060) (Ord. 02-25, passed 8-15-2002) Penalty, see § 90.999