(A) Vaccinations. Every person owning or harboring a dog five months and one day of age or older for 30 or more days shall have such dog vaccinated against rabies with an approved vaccine by a licensed veterinarian. Such vaccination shall be performed immediately following such acquisition or if a puppy upon reaching the age of five months and one day. All rabies vaccinations must be performed by a licensed veterinarian, licensed by the state and all appropriate license tags must be attached to the dog’s collar and worn by the dog at all times. In addition, the owner or harborer of said dog must retain all appropriate paper work in regards to the rabies vaccination, with date of vaccination and signed by the aforementioned veterinarian.
(B) Certificate of vaccination.
(1) Upon vaccination, the veterinarian administering the vaccine shall execute and furnish to the owner of the dog, as evidence thereof, a certificate of vaccination.
(2) The veterinarian shall retain a duplicate copy. Such certificate shall contain the following information:
(a) The name, address and telephone number of the owner or harborer of the inoculated dog;
(b) The date of the inoculation;
(c) The type of vaccine used;
(d) The year and series number of the rabies tag; and
(e) The breed, age, color and sex of the inoculated dog.
(C) Rabies tags. Concurrent with the issuance and delivery of the certificate of vaccination referred to in division (B) above, the owner of the dog shall attach to the collar or harness of the vaccinated dog, a metal tag, serially numbered and bearing the year of issuance and the name of the jurisdiction of the state.
(D) Duplicate tags. In the event of loss or destruction of the original rabies tag provided in division (C) above, the owner of the dog shall obtain a duplicate tag from the veterinarian issuing the original tag.
(E) Designation of qualified person. All veterinarians who are duly registered and licensed as such by the state and who also have an established practice within the state are hereby designated as authorized to vaccinate dogs against rabies and to execute certificates of vaccination as provided by law.
(F) Proof. It shall be unlawful for any person who owns or harbors any dog to fail or refuse to exhibit his or her copy of the certificate of vaccination upon demand to any person charged with enforcement of this chapter.
(G) Dog is of such age that it cannot be vaccinated. In the event that a dog is of such age that it cannot be vaccinated prior to obtaining a license, the owner shall obtain from a veterinarian, qualified and authorized to vaccinate dogs against rabies, a statement that such dog is not of age to be vaccinated and stating that when such dog may be vaccinated, and the owner shall present satisfactory evidence to the Town Clerk that said dog has been so vaccinated within ten days after the date certified by said veterinarian.
(Ord. 2014-7, passed 11-13-2014) Penalty, see § 90.99