(a) Any animal which bites a person shall be promptly reported to the Animal Warden and shall thereupon be examined by a practicing veterinarian and securely confined for clinical observation at the direction of the Game and Health Inspector for a period of ten days.
(1) If a laboratory-confirmed case of rabies has occurred within the last twelve months, such confinement shall be at the City Animal Shelter or, at the owner's option and expense, in a veterinary hospital of his choice.
(2) Dogs which have been vaccinated within three years with CEO or within one year with phenolized vaccine, may be confined on the premises of the owner and isolated from all individuals other than the immediate family. The animal must be examined by a practicing veterinarian on the first and tenth days after the bite and a written report sent to the Director of Public Safety.
(3) Confinement may be on the premises of the owner as described in paragraph (2) hereof if there have been no laboratory-confirmed cases of rabies during the past twelve months within the County.
(4) In the case of stray animals or in the case of an animal whose ownership is not known, such confinement shall be at the direction of the Health Inspector at the end of the ten-day confinement, the animal shall be examined by a practicing veterinarian a second time and a written report sent to the Director.
(b) The owner of any animal which has bitten a human being or which is suspected of having been exposed to rabies shall, upon demand by the Animal Warden, forthwith surrender such animal for supervised confinement, the expense of which shall be borne by the owner. Such animal may be reclaimed by the owner, if it is adjudged free of rabies, upon payment of fees for such confinement
(c) When rabies has been diagnosed in an animal confined for clinical observation, or rabies is suspected by a practicing veterinarian, or the animal has bitten anyone within ten days and such animal dies while under such observation, the head of such animal shall be sent to the State Health Department by the local health authorities for pathological examination and the proper public health officer shall be notified of reports of human contacts and the diagnosis.
(d) When a positive diagnosis of rabies has been made, the Safety Director shall recommend an area-wide quarantine for a period of ten days, during which all animals must be on a leash. All pets shall be under restraint of the owner. During such quarantine, no animal may be taken or shipped from the City without permission of the Safety Director.
(e) During this quarantine period and as long afterward as it deems necessary to prevent the spread of rabies, the County Board of Health may require that all dogs, three months of age and older, be vaccinated against rabies, by an accredited veterinarian, with a canine rabies vaccine approved by the Biologics Control Section of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The types of approved canine anti-rabies vaccine to be used and the recognized duration of immunity for each shall be established by the local health officer for thirty days after vaccination. During the quarantine period, the local health officer shall be empowered to provide for a program of mass immunization by the establishment of temporary emergency canine rabies vaccination clinics strategically located throughout the area of the health jurisdiction. No dog which has been impounded by reason of its being a stray or unclaimed by its owner, is allowed to be adopted by the Animal Shelter during the period of rabies emergency quarantine, except by special authorization of the Safety Director.
(f) A dog bitten by an animal known to be rabid should be immediately destroyed. If the owner is unwilling to destroy the exposed animal, strict isolation and observation of the animal in the City Animal Shelter or, at the owner's option and expense, in a veterinary hospital of his choice for six months, shall be enforced. If the dog has been previously vaccinated within time limits established by the Public Health Service based on the kind of vaccine used, revaccination and restraint (leashing and confinement) for thirty days shall be carried out.
(g) In the event there are additional cases of rabies occurring during the period of the quarantine, such quarantine may be extended for additional six-month periods.
(h) No person shall kill or cause to be killed any rabid animal, any animal suspected of having been exposed to rabies, or any animal which has bitten a human being, except as herein provided, nor remove such from the City limits without written permission from the Safety Director.
(i) The carcass of any animal exposed to rabies shall upon demand be surrendered to the County Kennels.
(j) The County Kennels shall direct the disposition of any animal found to be infected with rabies.
(k) No person shall fail or refuse to surrender any animal for quarantine or destruction as required herein when demand is made therefor by the Safety Director.
(Ord. 4788. Passed 5-12-75.)
(l) Whoever violates this section is guilty of a minor misdemeanor.