(A) Vaccination of dogs, cats and ferrets required; vaccination of other animals.
(1) It shall be unlawful for an owner or custodian to fail to provide current vaccination against rabies for any dog, cat, or ferret four months of age or older. Should it be deemed necessary by the state or Health Director or the state or the health and humans services board that other animals be vaccinated in order to prevent a threatened epidemic or to control an existing epidemic, it shall be unlawful for any owner or custodian to fail to provide current vaccination against rabies for such animals.
(2) All anti-rabies vaccines shall be administered by a licensed veterinarian or a certified rabies vaccinator.
(B) Vaccination tag and certification.
(1) Upon complying with the provisions of division (A) above, there shall be issued to the owner or custodian of the animal vaccinated a rabies tag, stamped with the number and the year for which issued, and a rabies vaccination certificate.
(2) It shall be unlawful for any owner or custodian of a dog required to be vaccinated to fail to provide the animal with a collar or harness to which a current rabies tag issued under this section is securely attached. The collar or harness, with attached tag, must be worn at all times. All animal owners or custodians must maintain in their possession all current vaccination certificates or other evidence for official proof and documentation of rabies vaccination.
(3) In addition to all other penalties as prescribed by law, a dog, cat or ferret required to be vaccinated is subject to impoundment in accordance with the provisions of this subchapter if the dog is found not to be wearing a currently valid rabies tag.
(4) It shall be unlawful for any person to use for any animal a rabies vaccination tag issued for an animal other than the one using the tag, or the owner or custodian of a cat or ferret does not possess a current vaccination certificate or other evidence of current rabies vaccination.
(C) Notice to local animal control when person bitten by animal; confinement of animal.
(1) Notice. When a person has been bitten by an animal required to be vaccinated under this section, the person or parent, guardian or person standing in loco parentis of the person, and the person owning the animal or in control or possession of the animal shall notify the Health Director immediately and give the name and address of the person bitten and the owner of the animal. If the animal that bites a person is a stray or feral animal, the animal control officer shall make a reasonable attempt to locate the owner of the animal. If the owner cannot be identified within 72 hours of the event, the Health Director may authorize the animal be euthanized, and the head of the animal shall be immediately sent to the State Laboratory of Public Health for rabies diagnosis. If the event occurs on a weekend or state holiday the time period for owner identification shall be extended 24 hours. A physician who attends a person bitten by an animal known to be a potential carrier of rabies shall report the incident within 24 hours to the Health Director. The report must include the name, age, and sex of the person.
(2) Confinement. When an animal required to be vaccinated under this section bites a person, the animal shall be immediately confined for ten days in a place designated by the Health Director. The Health Director may authorize a dog trained and used by a law enforcement agency to be released from confinement to perform official duties upon submission of proof that the dog has been vaccinated for rabies in compliance with this section. After reviewing the circumstances of the particular case, the Health Director may allow the owner to confine the animal on the owner’s property. An owner who fails to confine an animal in accordance with the instructions of the Health Director shall be guilty of a Class 2 misdemeanor. If the owner or the person who controls or possesses the animal that has bitten a person refuses to confine the animal as required by this division, the Health Director may order seizure of the animal and its confinement for ten days at the expense of the owner.
(3) Release of ownership. When an animal to be vaccinated under this section bites a person, the owner of the animal may sign ownership of the animal over to Polk County Animal Control. The animal shall be immediately confined in a place designated by the Health Director and the Health Director shall make a decision to euthanize the animal or permit the animal to be placed for adoption.
(D) Animals exposed to rabies. When the Health Director, in reliance on guidance from the state Division of Public Health Communicable Disease Branch, the US Centers for Disease Control or in consultation with the state’s public health veterinary team, reasonably suspects an animal has been exposed to rabies the following shall be applicable:
(1) Dogs, cats, and ferrets that have never been vaccinated shall be euthanized immediately or placed in strict quarantine for four months (dogs and cats) or six months (ferrets). The quarantine shall be in an enclosure that precludes direct contact with people or other animals. If quarantine is delayed, the quarantine period may be extended.
(2) A dog or cat with appropriate documentation showing it is either current on vaccinations or was vaccinated at least once previously shall receive a booster vaccination within 96 hours of exposure. In addition, the owner or custodian shall keep the animal under his or her control and observe it for 45 days of signs of illness. If the booster is delayed, the Health Director may consider increasing the observation period.
(3) If an owner or custodian states the dog or cat has had a rabies vaccination in the past but does not have appropriate documentation to prove such vaccination, the Health Director may follow the quarantine approach described above for animals that have never been vaccinated, or consider allowing blood testing to evaluate whether there is evidence a robust immune response upon booster vaccination.
(4) A ferret that has a lapsed vaccination shall be evaluated on a case-by-case basis to determine the appropriate management.
(Ord. passed 9-16-2021) Penalty, see § 91.99