A. Vaccination Required; Issuance Of Certificate: Any warm blooded animal, capable of transmitting the virus rabies, maintained or harbored at any time in the City shall be vaccinated against rabies with an approved vaccine administered by a veterinarian who shall maintain a record of vaccination for a period of at least three (3) years, and who shall issue the owner of such animal a vaccination certificate (which shall be retained by said owner until it expires and is renewed). The failure to present such certificate when so requested by the animal control officer shall be prima facie evidence that such animal has not been vaccinated.
B. Quarantine Of Animal; Rabies Control:
1. The identity and address of the owner of any animal that bites a person shall be promptly furnished to the animal control officer and County Health Department. The animal control officer shall securely quarantine such animal until reasonable determination has been made that the animal is not infected with rabies. At the discretion of the animal control officer, such quarantine may be on the premises of the owner or at a veterinary hospital of the owner's choice (at the owner's expense). The owner may reclaim said animal, if adjudged free of rabies; such owner shall then pay any related charges for confinement.
2. When an animal under quarantine has been diagnosed as being rabid, or is suspected of having rabies by a licensed veterinarian, and dies while under such observation, the animal control officer, veterinarian or other designated person shall immediately send the necessary part of such animal to the State Department of Health for pathological examination and shall notify the proper health officer of any reports of human contact.
3. When a report gives a positive diagnosis of rabies and the County Health Director feels that a rabies crisis may be imminent, the Health Department may recommend to the City Commission a community wide quarantine; upon the invoking of such quarantine by the City Commission, no animal shall be taken into the streets or permitted to be in the streets, except for short periods of exercise (under leash and control of a competent adult). During such quarantine, no animal may be taken or removed from the City without written permission of the animal control officer.
4. During such period of rabies quarantine, every animal bitten by an animal adjudged to be rabid shall be forthwith destroyed; or, at the owner's expense and option, shall be treated for a rabies infection by a licensed veterinarian; or, held under six (6) month quarantine by the owner in the same manner as a female in season. The period of quarantine may be extended.
5. No person shall remove from the City any animal suspected of having been exposed to rabies, or any animal that has bitten a human, except as herein provided. The carcass of any dead animal exposed to rabies shall be surrendered to the animal control officer upon demand; the animal control officer shall direct disposition of said animal. No person shall refuse to surrender any animal for quarantine or destruction when the animal control officer lawfully makes such demand.
C. Compliance With Vaccination Requirements: It shall be unlawful to not comply with all the Municipal vaccination requirements after fifteen (15) days of residency. (Ord. 924, 1-11-2010)