(A) When a person has been bitten by an animal, it shall be the duty of the person, or his or her parent, guardian, or person standing in loco parentis of the person if the person is a minor, and the person owning the animal or having the same in his or her possession or under his or her control, to notify the Health Director or person duly authorized by the Health Director immediately and give his or her name, address, and phone number, age and sex of the person bitten, and the owner or person having the animal in his or her possession or under his or her control shall immediately securely confine the animal for ten days at the expense of the owner in the place as may be designated by the Health Director. It shall be the duty of every physician, after his or her first professional attendance upon a person bitten by any animal having rabies or suspected of having rabies, to report to the Health Director the name, age, and sex of the person bitten, and precise location of the bite wound, within 24 hours after first having knowledge that the person was bitten. If the owner of, or a person who has in his or her possession or under his or her control, an animal having rabies or suspected of having rabies refuses to confine the animal as required by this chapter or by G.S. §§ 130A-196 and 130A-198, the Health Director may order seizure of the animal and its confinement for ten days in the place the Health Director designates.
(B) Law enforcement agencies investigating animal bites shall report the bites immediately to the Health Director, or his or her designee, and give the names and addresses of persons bitten and owner of animal.
(C) Animals confined pursuant to division (A) of this section shall not be released from confinement except after a visual inspection of the animal by an animal control officer following a ten-day period of confinement, or by permission from the Health Director, or his or her designee.
(D) Animals confined pursuant to division (A) of this section shall be confined at the expense of the owner or keeper.
(E) In the case of an animal whose owner or keeper is not known or cannot be identified, the animal shall be kept for the supervised confinement period of ten days at a place designated and authorized by the Health Director.
(F) Badly wounded, diseased, or suffering animals which are suspected of having rabies may be humanely destroyed immediately, and the head forwarded for examination in accordance with the latest guidelines set forth by the state Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Laboratory Services, for rabies diagnosis.
(Ord. passed 10-6-2008)