(a) Whenever it is shown that any animal has bitten any person or shows signs of being infected with rabies, the owner, keeper or person having custody or possession of such animal, shall, within twenty-four (24) hours following the biting incident, upon notice from the Cuyahoga County Board of Health, or upon direction from the Cuyahoga County Board of Health and/or Animal Warden for any reason stated in this section, take and remove such animal to a qualified veterinarian for examination and, subsequently, on the tenth day following such original examination by the veterinarian, permit re-examination of such animal by the veterinarian. After such animal is first examined, it shall be confined during the ten-day period until the second examination is completed in either the animal clinic, kennel or hospital where examined, or secured at the home of the owner, keeper or person having custody or possession of the animal, in an area inaccessible to the public at large. The owner, keeper or person having custody or possession of such animal shall then submit to the Animal Warden or Cuyahoga County Board of Health, within twenty-four hours following the last examination, a written report signed by the examining veterinarian, setting forth therein the dates of examination of such animal and the results thereof.
If the animal dies prior to the tenth day of examination, as hereinbefore provided, the owner, keeper or person having custody or possession of such animal shall immediately contact the Animal Warden or Cuyahoga County Board of Health, who shall arrange for the removal of the animal to a qualified laboratory for examination. Under no circumstances shall the owner or keeper of the animal purposely destroy the animal prior to compliance with the requirements of this section.
No owner, keeper or person having custody or possession of such an animal shall fail or refuse to remove and take such animal for the examinations required herein, or fail to comply with the submission of the report as required, or fail to notify the Animal Warden or Cuyahoga County Board of Health immediately upon the death of the animal, or purposely destroy such animal prior to compliance with the requirements of this section.
(b) If the owner or person having custody or possession of such animal fails to comply with any such order of the Animal Warden within twenty-four hours of the notification that such order has been issued and served upon such owner or person having custody or possession, the Animal Warden or any police officer may take such animal into custody and place the same in quarantine, at the expense of the owner or person having custody or possession of such animal.
(c) Whoever violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree.
(Ord. 94-2019. Passed 11-4-19.)