(A) When any person owning or harboring a dog, cat, or other animal has been notified that said animal has bitten or attacked any person, the owner shall within 24 hours place the animal under the care and observation of the Police Department or a licensed veterinarian for a period of not less than ten days.
(B) At the end of the ten-day observation period, the animal shall be examined by a licensed veterinarian and, if cleared by the veterinarian, may be reclaimed by the owner upon paying the expenses incident thereto.
(C) Any animal impounded or placed for observation, showing active signs of rabies, suspected of having rabies, or known to have been exposed to rabies shall be confined under competent observation for such time as may be deemed necessary to determine a diagnosis.
(D) Any person who shall suspect that any animal in the city is infected with rabies shall report said animal to the Police Department, or other health authority, describing the animal and giving the name and address of the owner if known.
(E) No person shall knowingly harbor or keep any animal infected with rabies or any animal known to have been bitten by an animal known to have been infected with rabies.
(F) Any person within the city receiving information or reports of suspected rabies in wild animal or domestic animals shall report such information to the Police Department of the city.
(G) Any rabid animal may be destroyed by the Police Department upon authorization in writing by the City Council.
(H) Whenever the Police Department shall have determined that there is danger of the existence or spread of rabies in the city, such facts shall be made known to the City Council in writing. The Council, upon receipt of said facts, may by proclamation, in the interest of public safety and general welfare of the citizenry, order all animals muzzled when off the premises of the owner. Forty-eight hours after the publication of said proclamation all animals found off the premises of the owner unmuzzled shall be seized and impounded or may be immediately destroyed if all reasonable efforts to seize said animals fail. All animals seized and impounded shall be held for observation as hereinbefore provided for not less than ten days and, if cleared by a licensed veterinarian, may be claimed by the owner upon paying the expenses incidental thereto. Any animal not claimed may be disposed of as hereinbefore provided.
(Prior Code, § 5.0303) Penalty, see § 10.99