(A) Every dog six months of age and older, at the expense of the owner, shall be vaccinated against rabies and shall be revaccinated in 24-month intervals thereafter, or as directed by a proclamation of the City Council ordering more frequent vaccinations in the event of a rabies outbreak.
(B) Whenever the prevalence of rabies renders such action necessary to protect the public’s health and safety, the City Council, upon advice of the County Health Officer, shall issue a proclamation declaring such emergency and dogs running at large during the time fixed in the proclamation and suspected of being rabid may be euthanized by the City Police Department without notice to the owner.
(C) Every owner of a dog shall obtain from the dog’s veterinarian, at the time of vaccination of any dog, a certificate of rabies vaccination, which certificate shall include the following information:
(1) Owner’s name and address;
(2) Description of the animal;
(3) Date of vaccination;
(4) Rabies vaccination tag number; and
(5) Signature of the veterinarian.
(D) A copy of the certificate shall be delivered to the owner of the dog and a copy retained by the issuing veterinarian. The veterinarian and the owner shall retain their copies for the interval between vaccinations specified in division (A) above. The owner of the dog shall also obtain from the veterinarian a tag serially numbered as evidence that the dog has been vaccinated. Said tag must be attached to a collar worn by the dog while off the premises of the owner.
(E) This section does not apply to dogs which:
(1) Are owned by a person temporarily remaining within the city for less than 30 days;
(2) Are brought into the city for field trials or show purposes; or
(3) Are used for hunting in the state for less than 30 days within any license year.
(F) Any dog suspected of being afflicted with rabies which has not been vaccinated in accordance with this section that has bitten a person or caused an abrasion of the skin of such person, shall be seized and impounded for a period of not less than ten days. If, upon examination by a veterinarian, the dog has no signs of rabies at the end of the impoundment, then it may be released to the owner. If the veterinarian determines that the dog is rabid, then said animal shall be euthanized.
(G) Any dog vaccinated in accordance with this section which has bitten a person shall be confined by the owner or at the city pound for a period of ten days, at which time, the dog shall be examined by a licensed veterinarian, then the dog may be released from confinement to its owner. If the veterinarian determines that the dog is rabid, then said animal shall be euthanized.
(H) In the case of a dog that has been bitten by a rabid animal, the following rules shall apply.
(1) In the case of dogs which have not been vaccinated in accordance with this subchapter which have been bitten by a known rabid animal, said bitten dog shall be euthanized upon written consent of the owner.
(2) If the owner is unwilling to have the bitten dog euthanized, strict isolation of the dog in a kennel under veterinarian supervision for a minimum of six months shall be required. The owner of the dog shall pay the expense thereof.
(I) If the bitten dog is vaccinated in accordance with the provisions of this section, the dog shall be held as follows.
(1) The dog shall immediately be revaccinated and confined at the owner’s home for a period of 30 days following revaccination.
(2) If the dog is not immediately revaccinated, the animal shall be confined in strict isolation in a kennel for six months under the supervision of a veterinarian.
(J) Any dog found off the owner’s premises and not wearing a valid rabies vaccination tag shall be impounded. Any unvaccinated dog that is so impounded may be reclaimed by its owner by payment of the prescribed pound fees and compliance with the rabies vaccination requirements of this subchapter, proof of which shall be furnished to the City Clerk-Treasurer’s office within 72 hours of the dog’s release from the pound.
(Ord. 58, passed 7-9-2001) Penalty, see § 90.99