(a) Any animal which bites a person shall promptly within twenty-four hours be reported to the City Health Department and shall thereupon be examined by a practicing veterinarian and securely confined for clinical observation at the direction of the so-called “Utility Person” within the City Safety Forces, charged, among various other duties, with those of Animal Warden, for a period of at least ten days.
(1) If a laboratory-confirmed case of rabies has occurred within the last twelve months in Crawford County, such confinement shall be at the City Animal Shelter or, at the aninmal owner’s option and expense, in a veterinary hospital of his/her 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 City Health Commissioner.
(3) Confinement may be on the premises of the animal owner as described in paragraph (2) hereof if there have been no laboratory confined cases of rabies during the past twelve months within Crawford 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 City Health Commissioner. 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 City Health Commissioner.
(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 so-called “Utility Person” within the City Safety Forces, charged among various other duties with those of Animal Warden, forthwith surrender such animal for supervised confinement, the expense of which shall be borne by the animal owner. Such animal may be reclaimed by the owner, if it is adjudged to be free of rabies, upon payment of fees for such confinement.
(c) When rabies has been diagnosed, however, 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 diagnosis.
(d) When a positive diagnosis of rabies has been made, the City Board of Health Commissioner shall recommend a City-wide quarantine for a period of ten days or longer, during which time 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 City Board of Health Commissioner.
(e) During this quarantine period and so long afterward as it deems necessary to prevent the spread of rabies, the City Board of Health may require that all dogs, three months of age and older, be vaccinated against rabies by an accredited veterinarian, with approved canine rabies vaccine. The types of approved canine rabies vaccine to be used and the recognized duration of immunity for each shall be established by the local health officer. 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 City Health Commissioner and/or City Public Service-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 animal owner’s option and expense, in a veterinary hospital of his/her choice for six months, shall be enforced. If the dog has been previously vaccinated within time limits established by the Public Health Service based upon the kind of vaccine used, re- vaccination 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 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, or remove such from the City limits without written permission from the City Board of Health Director.
(i) The carcass of any animal exposed to rabies shall upon demand be surrendered to the so-called “Utility Person” within the City Safety Forces, charged among various other duties with those of Animal Warden.
(j) The City Health Department 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 Public Service-Safety Director.
(Ord. 88-91. Passed 12-17-91.)
(l) Whoever violates this section is guilty of a minor misdemeanor.
(Ord. 93-97. Passed 12-2-97.)