(A) When any person owning or harboring a dog, cat, or other animal has been notified that said animal has bitten or attacked any person, the owner must, within 24 hours, place the animal under the care and observation of the Sheriff or licensed veterinarian for a period of not less than ten days, except in those cases when an animal has bitten or attacked while on the premises of the owner and the owner has a current vaccination for said animal, the Sheriff may, if he or she feels the facilities are adequate, if the owner is a responsible person, quarantine the animal on the owner’s premises. In this case, the owner must sign a statement and understand the responsibility and assume the liability that is involved with the quarantine of an animal that has bitten. The quarantined animal must, at all times, be available for inspection during the quarantine.
(B) At the end of the ten-day observation period, the animal shall be examined by the Sheriff and, if cleared, may be reclaimed by the owner and the owner must pay the expense incurred incident thereto.
(C) Any animal impounded or placed for observation, showing active signs of rabies, suspected of having rabies, or known to have been exposed to rabies shall be confined under competent observation for such time as may be deemed necessary to determine a diagnosis.
(D) Any animal that has bitten or attacked that cannot be captured may be destroyed in such a manner that the head is not damaged and can be submitted for a rabies examination to a laboratory.
(E) Any animal that has bitten any person may be euthanized by order of an animal control shelter or physician or a veterinarian from the Board of Health, unless proof of a current vaccination effected not less than 30 days prior to the bite is provided within 24 hours of the bite. Any animal that has bitten any person may be euthanized by order of the Health Officer if, in the Health Officer’s opinion, based on sound medical judgments, a greater risk to human life exists in not doing so. In making such a determination, the Health Officer shall take into consideration the following factors:
(1) The history of the animal including the possibility of its exposure to rabies;
(2) The vaccination record of the animal;
(3) The health of the animal;
(4) The nature, location, and seriousness of the bite;
(5) The circumstances surrounding the bite, including whether or not the bite was provoked; and
(6) The tolerance of the person bitten to the vaccines used for treatment.
(Ord. 9511-09, passed 11-14-1995)