1. a. Every animal, regardless of immunization status, that has bitten a person shall be reported within four hours to the Animal Control Officer and, except as otherwise provided herein, shall thereupon be securely quarantined at a veterinarian hospital, within 24 hours from the time of the bite incident, for a period of ten days from the date the person was bitten and shall not be released from such quarantine except by permission of the veterinarian in charge of the quarantined animal. Such quarantine will be at any veterinarian hospital chosen by the owner or in the owner’s home if:
(1) Animal meets criteria of currently vaccinated against rabies and meets the definition of first party ownership as defined in § 3-1; and
(2) Home quarantine site is approved by the Animal Control Officer.
b. Animal Control Officers will complete a bite report and submit it to the Health Department. If the bite was a severe injury, the Health Department shall make a determination of the disposition of the biting animal after consultation with the victim’s physician, and based upon the risk of rabies in the particular animal.
2. In the case of a stray animal, or in the case of a dog or cat whose ownership is not known after diligent and reasonable efforts have been made by an Animal Control Officer to determine ownership of such animal, such animal, dog or cat will be impounded immediately. In the case of unclaimed dog or cat that has bitten a person, such animals should be humanely euthanized and taken to a veterinarian for removal of the head for submittal to the State Department of Health for rabies examination. The final decision for animal destruction, quarantine or other disposition of any animal other than a dog, cat or ferret that bites a person, or otherwise potentially exposes a person to rabies shall be determined by the Health Department as defined in § 3-2.
3. In the case of an animal that has bitten a person and ownership of such animal is known to an Animal Control Officer but the owner refuses to have the animal quarantined as required by subsection 1. above, the Animal Control Officer will direct the owner of such animal to have the animal quarantined as provided in subsection 1. above. If the owner refuses or does not have the animal quarantined within 24 hours from the time of the bite incident, the Animal Control Officer will issue a citation for failure to quarantine.