A. Rabies Vaccination Required:
1. Vaccination Requirement: The owner or person having charge of any dog, cat, or ferret over sixteen (16) weeks of age within the city shall be required to have them vaccinated for rabies with a rabies vaccine by a licensed veterinarian and to keep such vaccinations current, or shall have a waiver of this requirement issued by a licensed veterinarian.
2. Waiver Of Vaccination: Waiver of the rabies vaccination requirement shall only be obtained by providing a written statement from a licensed veterinarian stating the medical reason for waiver.
3. Revaccination: The owner of every dog, cat, or ferret shall have the animal revaccinated twelve (12) months after the initial vaccination and then every three (3) years thereafter using a vaccine labeled by the manufacturer for triennial use, or every year using a vaccine labeled by the manufacturer for annual use.
4. Rabies Certificate: A certificate of rabies vaccination issued by a licensed veterinarian must be kept by the owner, upon which is stated the date of vaccination, owner's name and address, the animal's name (if applicable), sex, description and weight, the type of vaccine, the vaccine producer and product name, and the veterinarian's identity.
B. Reporting Suspected Case Of Rabies: Any person having care or custody of an animal which shows symptoms of rabies or which acts in a manner which would lead to a reasonable suspicion that it may have rabies, shall notify the animal control agency.
C. Keeping Of Rabid Animals Unlawful: It shall be unlawful for a person, other than a licensed veterinarian, or the animal control agency, to own, keep or harbor any animal afflicted with rabies or reasonably suspected of having rabies.
D. Reporting Of Bites: Any person owning or having custody or control of a species subject to rabies which bites a person, shall notify the animal control agency as soon as possible thereafter.
E. Payment Of Fees And Expenses: The owner of any animal which is quarantined under the provisions of this section shall pay all fees and expenses related to the quarantine including, but not limited to, the impoundment, confinement, board, examination, laboratory testing and release of the animal from quarantine, and any other deposit or fee required by this chapter.
F. Violation: Violation of any provision of this section shall be a misdemeanor. (Ord. 617, 12-12-2016)