(A) A dog which is known to have bitten or injured any person so as to cause an abrasion of the skin or a dog which in the opinion of a member of the Police Department or of any licensed veterinarian of the state, appears to be afflicted with rabies, shall be closely confined by its owner in accordance with the directions of a member of the Police Department, for a period of not less than 14 days.
(B) (1) If the owner of such dog or dogs referred to in this section cannot be determined or located, then a member of the Police Department shall otherwise confine said dog or dogs for a period of not less than 14 days. If the owner of said dog is not determined, located or the dog claimed from confinement within said 14 days, then the Chief of Police may order said dog destroyed; provided, however, that, all costs incurred for the confinement of a dog under this section shall be paid for by the owner or owners of said dog.
(2) If, however, after 14 days’ confinement, the said dog is not claimed or the owner determined or located, then the cost of confinement shall be borne by the town. If said dog is determined, by a veterinarian, to be suffering from rabies it shall be destroyed forthwith.
(C) (1) It shall be unlawful for any person knowing or suspecting a dog has rabies to allow such dog to be taken off his or her premises or beyond the limits of the town without the written permission of the pound master.
(2) Every owner or other person, upon ascertaining a dog is rabid shall immediately notify the pound master or a police officer who shall either remove the dog to the pound or summarily destroy it.
(Prior Code, § 531.11) (Ord. 398, passed 6-6-1996; Ord. 473, passed 6-6-2002; Ord. 520, passed 9-6-2007; Ord. 576, passed 7-10-2014; Ord. 580, passed 2-5-2015) Penalty, see § 90.999