A. It shall be unlawful to harbor or maintain a dog which does not have current antirabies vaccination, or which is known to have a contagious disease, unless under the treatment of a licensed veterinarian.
B. The sheriff shall secure disposition of any dog afflicted with rabies.
C. It is hereby made the duty of an owner of any dog showing symptoms of rabies, or of any unvaccinated dog which has bitten any person, other than the owner of the dog, a veterinarian, or a member of a veterinarian's staff, when the bite has caused an abrasion of the skin, to surrender the dog to the sheriff or to a licensed veterinarian for confinement for a minimum of ten (10) days. If such dog is determined to be free of rabies, the dog shall be returned to the owner upon redemption as set forth in section 5.1.105 of this article, including payment of all applicable fees. If such fees are not paid, the dog shall be subject to disposal as provided by section 5.1.105 of this article; provided, however, that the owner of the dog shall remain liable to the county for payment of all applicable fees. If the rabies vaccination is current, it shall be within the sound discretion of either the sheriff or a Panhandle health district health officer to determine whether it may be necessary to quarantine the dog by confining it to the premises of the owner or other person charged with its care. If the dog is located on the owner's premises, it shall be securely confined and kept from contact with other animals, and shall be submitted to a veterinarian for examination at the owner's expense to determine whether or not the dog is rabid. (Ord. 500, 9-13-2016)