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(A) It shall be unlawful for an owner or keeper to fail to provide current vaccination against rabies for any dog or cat four months of age or older and equine six months of age or older. Should it be deemed necessary by the Health Director that other animals be vaccinated in order to prevent a threatened epidemic or to control an existing epidemic, it shall be unlawful for an owner or keeper to fail to provide current vaccination against rabies for that animal. The time or times of vaccination shall be established by the Commission. Rabies vaccine shall be administered only by a licensed veterinarian or by a certified rabies vaccinator.
(B) Only animal rabies vaccine licensed by the United States Department of Agriculture and approved by the Commission shall be used on animals in this state.
(Ord. passed 10-6-2008) Penalty, see § 90.999
(A) Upon complying with the provisions of § 90.101, a rabies tag shall be issued to the owner or keeper of the dog or cat vaccinated pursuant to G.S. § 130A-190. An owner or keeper of equine shall be issued a rabies vaccination certificate.
(B) It shall be unlawful for any dog or cat owner or keeper to fail to provide the animal with a collar or harness to which are securely attached a current rabies tag as issued under this section and identification tag bearing owner’s name and/or telephone number. The collar or harness, with attached tag, must be worn at all times. Cats and equine shall not be required to wear the metallic tag, but the owner of the cat or equine shall maintain the rabies vaccination certificate, with a physical description of the animal, as written evidence to prove that the animal has a current rabies vaccination.
(C) Any equine residing in or entering the county shall be required to show proof of current rabies vaccination.
(D) In addition to all other penalties for violations as prescribed by law, the animal is subject to impoundment in accordance with the provisions of this chapter. If an animal control officer can identify the owner of an animal not wearing a rabies tag, he or she may provide the owner with a written notification of the violation and the owner shall be given 48 hours from the time of notification to obtain and/or show proof of current vaccination. Failure to show proof of current vaccination may result in fines and penalties and/or the impoundment of the animal.
(E) If an animal enforcement officer can identify the owner of an animal not wearing a rabies tag, he or she may provide the owner with a warning citation to show proof of current vaccination within 48 hours without automatically impounding the animal.
(F) It shall be unlawful for any person to use for any animal a rabies vaccination tag/certificate issued for any other animal.
(Ord. passed 10-6-2008) Penalty, see § 90.999
(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)
Animals not vaccinated against rabies which are bitten by a known rabid animal, or by an animal suspected of having rabies, shall be immediately destroyed unless the owner or keeper agrees to strict isolation of the animal at a veterinary hospital for a period of six months at the owner’s or keeper’s expense. If the animal has a current rabies vaccination, it shall be revaccinated within 72 hours and returned to the owner or keeper within seven calendar days.
(Ord. passed 10-6-2008)
(A) When reports indicate a positive diagnosis of rabies to the extent that lives of persons are endangered, the Health Director may declare an area-wide quarantine for a period as he or she deems necessary. Upon invoking the emergency quarantine, no dog, cat, or equine may be taken or shipped from the county without written permission of the Health Director. During the quarantine, the Health Director, law enforcement officers, or persons duly authorized by the Health Director, may seize and impound any dog, cat, or equine found running at large in the county. During the quarantine period, the Health Director shall be empowered to provide for a program of mass immunization by the establishment of temporary emergency rabies vaccination facilities strategically located throughout the county.
(B) In the event there are additional positive cases of rabies occurring during the period of quarantine, the period of quarantine may be extended at the discretion of the Health Director.
(Ord. passed 10-6-2008)
(A) If an animal dies while under observation for rabies, the head of the animal shall be submitted to the animal control office for shipment to the state laboratory in accordance with the latest guidelines set forth by the state Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Laboratory Services, for rabies diagnosis.
(B) The head of any animal suspected of dying of rabies or showing neurological signs consistent with rabies shall be surrendered to the animal control office for shipment to the state laboratory 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)
It shall be unlawful for any person to kill or release any animal under observation for rabies, or any animal under observation for biting a human, or to remove the animal from the county without written permission from the Health Director, provided that a licensed veterinarian, or the Health Director, or persons duly authorized by the Health Director, may authorize any animal to be destroyed for rabies diagnosis.
(Ord. passed 10-6-2008) Penalty, see § 90.999
It shall be unlawful for any person to fail or refuse to surrender any animal for confinement or destruction as required in this chapter when the demand is made by the Health Director.
(Ord. passed 10-6-2008) Penalty, see § 90.999
It shall be unlawful for any person to fail to report/submit to a licensed veterinarian or animal control officer any domestic or wild animal with symptoms compatible with rabies. Failure to comply with this provision may result in the person being liable for financial expenses incurred as a result of his or her negligence.
(Ord. passed 10-6-2008) Penalty, see § 90.999
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