(A) Control authority. In the city the rabies control authority shall be the City Police Department or the animal services division.
(B) Vaccinations. Every owner of a dog or cat four months of age or older shall have such animal vaccinated against rabies. Annual revaccination shall be required thereafter. Any person moving into the city from a location outside of the city shall comply with this chapter within ten days after having moved into the city.
(C) Certificate of vaccination. Upon vaccination the veterinarian shall execute and furnish to the owner of the dog or cat, as evidence thereof, a certificate upon a form furnished by the veterinarian. The veterinarian shall retain a duplicate copy. Such certificate shall contain the following information:
(1) Owner’s name, address and telephone number.
(2) Animal identification: species, age, sex, size (in pounds), predominant breed, and colors.
(3) Vaccine used, producer, expiration date and serial number.
(4) Date vaccinated.
(5) Rabies tag number.
(6) Veterinarian's signature and license number.
(D) Tag. Concurrent with the issuance and delivery of the certificate of vaccination referred to in division (C) of this section, the owner of the dog shall cause to be attached to the collar or harness of the vaccinated dog a metal tag, serially numbered to correspond with the vaccination certificate number and bearing the year of issuance, the name of the issuing veterinarian and the business address of the issuing veterinarian.
(E) Duplicate tags. In the event of loss or destruction of the original tag provided for in division (D) of this section, the owner of the dog shall obtain a duplicate tag.
(F) Proof of vaccination. It shall be unlawful for any person who owns or harbors a vaccinated dog or cat to fail or refuse to exhibit their copy of the certificate of vaccination upon demand to any person charged with the enforcement of this chapter.
(G) Harboring unvaccinated animals. It shall be unlawful for any person to harbor any dog or cat which has not been vaccinated against rabies as provided herein or which cannot be identified as having a current vaccination certificate.
(H) Animals exposed to rabies. Any person having knowledge of the existence of any animal known to have been or suspected of being exposed to rabies must immediately report such knowledge to the Animal Services Division or Police Department giving such information as may be required. For any animal known to have been or suspected of being exposed to rabies, the following rules must apply:
(1) Unvaccinated animals which have been bitten or directly exposed by physical contact with a rabid animal or its fresh tissues shall be:
(a) Humanely killed; or
(b) If sufficient justification for preserving the animal exists and if the owner of such animal elects, the owner may, at their expense, in the manner prescribed by the Police Department or Animal Services Division, confine the animal. The exposed animal should be vaccinated immediately against rabies, placed in strict isolation for three months and given a booster vaccination one month prior to release from isolation.
(2) Vaccinated animals which have been bitten or otherwise significantly exposed to a rabid animal shall be:
(a) Humanely killed; or
(b) Revaccinated immediately and confined, at the owner’s expense. The exposed vaccinated animal should be given a booster rabies vaccination and placed in strict isolation for 45 days.
(3) These provisions apply only to domestic animals for which an approved rabies vaccine is available.
('68 Code, § 5-2) (Ord. 3-1989-10, passed 3-21-89; Am. Ord. 09-2016-47, passed 9-27-16
; Am. Ord. 07-2021-32, passed 7-13-21
) Penalty, see § 91.999