(a) Whenever any person is bitten by a dog, cat or other animal, report of such bite shall be made to a police officer, Animal Control Officer, or the Division of Health within twenty- four hours. At the direction of the Animal Control Officer or other employee of the Division of Health, the dog or other animal shall either be confined by its owner or harborer to his premises away from the public at large, or be placed under supervision of a veterinarian at the owner’s or harborer’s expense. The isolation or observation period shall not be less than ten days from the date the person was bitten at which time a veterinarian must examine the animal and sign a form provided by the Division of Health releasing the animal from quarantine. The form must be returned to the Division of Health.
No person shall fail to comply with the requirements of this section or with any order of the Division of Health made pursuant thereto, nor fail to immediately report to the Division of Health any symptom or behavior suggestive of rabies.
(b) Any owner of any animal known to have, or suspected of having, rabies or having been subjected to rabies, shall immediately notify a police officer or the Division of Health of such fact, and immediately surrender such animal to any health officer or police officer upon demand of such officer. No owner knowing or suspecting that an animal has rabies, shall allow such animal to be taken off his premises without the permission of a health officer or police officer. Any health officer or police officer upon ascertaining an animal is rabid shall immediately remove the animal to the pound or summarily destroy it.
(c) Whoever violates this section is guilty of a minor misdemeanor.
(Ord. 44-04. Passed 6-21-2004.)