A. Any animal which is owned by a person and has bitten any person or caused an abrasion of the skin of any person shall be seized by the animal control authority for a period of not less than ten days if:
A. The animal is suspected of having rabies, regardless of the species and whether or not the animal has been vaccinated;
B. The animal is not vaccinated and is of a species determined by the State of Nebraska to be a rabid species; or
C. The animal is of a species which has been determined by the State of Nebraska to be a rabid species not amenable to rabies protection by immunization, whether or not such animal has been vaccinated. If, after observation and examination by a veterinarian, at the end of the ten-day period the animal shows no clinical signs of rabies, the animal may be released to its owner unless otherwise prohibited by law.
B.
1. Except as provided in subdivision (B)(2) of this subsection, whenever any person has been bitten or has an abrasion of the skin caused by an animal owned by another person, which animal has been vaccinated in accordance with State law or regulation or if such injury to a person is caused by an owned animal determined by the State of Nebraska to be a rabid species amenable to rabies protection by immunization which has been vaccinated, such animal shall be confined by the owner or other responsible person as required by the animal control authority for a period of at least ten days and shall be observed and examined by a veterinarian at the end of such ten-day period. If no clinical signs of rabies are found by the veterinarian, such animal may be released from confinement unless ownership of the animal is otherwise prohibited by law.
2. A vaccinated animal owned by a law enforcement or governmental military agency which bites or causes an abrasion of the skin of any person during training or the performance of the animal's duties may be confined as provided in subdivision (B)(1) of this subsection. Such agency shall maintain ownership of and shall control and supervise the actions of such animal for a period of fifteen days following such injury. If during such period the death of the animal occurs for any reason, a veterinarian shall within twenty-four hours of the death examine the tissues of the animal for clinical signs of rabies.
C. Any animal of a rabid species which has bitten a person or caused an abrasion of the skin of a person and which is unowned or the ownership of which cannot be determined within seventy-two hours of the time of the bite or abrasion shall be immediately subject to any tests which the animal control authority believes are necessary to determine whether the animal is afflicted with rabies. The seventy-two-hour period shall include holidays and weekends and shall not be extended for any reason. The tests required by this subsection may include tests which require the animal to be destroyed.
D. All incidents of biting or scratching shall be reported in writing to the Animal Control Authority by the medical professional treating the injury, the injured party, or in the case of a minor child, the parent or guardian.
E. In the case of domestic or hybrid animals known to have been bitten by a rabid
animal, the following rules shall apply:
1. If the bitten or exposed domestic or hybrid animal has not been vaccinated in accordance with State statute, such bitten or exposed domestic or hybrid animal shall be immediately destroyed unless the owner is willing to place such domestic or hybrid animal in strict isolation in a kennel under veterinary supervision for a period of not less than six months; and
2. If the bitten or exposed domestic or hybrid animal has been vaccinated in accordance with State statutes, such domestic or hybrid animal shall be subject to the following procedure: (1) Such domestic or hybrid animal shall be immediately revaccinated and confined for a period of not less than thirty days following vaccination; (2) if such domestic or hybrid animal is not immediately revaccinated, such domestic or hybrid animal shall be confined in strict isolation in a kennel for a period of not less than six months under the supervision of a veterinarian; or (3) such domestic or hybrid animal shall be destroyed if the owner does not comply with either subdivision (E)(1) or (2) of this subdivision.
(Amended by Ordinance No. 9200, effective 12-17-2008) (Amended by Ordinance No. 9229, effective 08-26-2009)