(A) When any owner of an animal has been notified that the animal has bitten or attacked any person, the owner must, within 24 hours, place the animal under the care and observation of the animal control officer or a licensed veterinarian. The period of observation shall be a period of not less than ten days except in those cases when an animal has bitten or attacked while on the premises of the owner and the owner has a current rabies vaccination for the animal. The animal control officer or any law enforcement officer may, if he or she feels the facilities are adequate and if the owner is a responsible person, quarantine the animal on the owner’s premises. In this case, the owner must sign a statement, understand the responsibility, and assume the liability that is involved with the quarantine of an animal that has bitten. The quarantined animal must, at all times, be available for inspection during the quarantine.
(B) At the end of the ten-day observation period, the animal shall be examined by a licensed veterinarian and, if cleared, may be reclaimed by the owner, and the owner must pay the expenses incurred resulting 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 animal that has bitten or attacked that cannot be captured may be destroyed in such a manner that the head is not damaged and can be submitted for a rabies examination to a laboratory.
(Prior Code, § 6.6.2)