(a) Pursuant to state law, the animal control authority, or his or her designee is authorized to quarantine any animal when there is probable cause to believe that a person may have been bitten or otherwise exposed to rabies by that animal.
(b) The owner of any animal that has been reported to have inflicted a bite or scratch that is reasonably capable of spreading rabies, on any person, shall submit said animal for quarantine, as prescribed in this article or state statute. Refusal to submit said animal constitutes a violation of law and each day of such refusal shall constitute a separate and individual violation. In the event the owner refuses or fails to quarantine the animal, the animal control authority may obtain a warrant to seize and impound the animal according to the provisions of this article and state law.
(c) Any cost for quarantine or testing shall be the responsibility of the owner.
(d) Any stray dog or cat, or those animals whose owner cannot be located shall be confined in the animal shelter for a reasonable time and if unclaimed may be destroyed and the brain of such animal immediately submitted to a qualified laboratory for rabies examination at the victim’s expense or quarantined according to the provisions of this section.
(e) Conditions of quarantine shall be determined by the animal control authority. The animal control authority shall determine whether confinement will be in the animal shelter, veterinary hospital, or on the premises of the owner. Such confinement will be at the owner’s expense. During confinement, an animal may be inspected at any time by the animal control officer.
(f) Home quarantine on the premises of the owner shall be only be allowed in accordance with applicable state laws and regulations and when approved by the animal control authority. Conditions under which home quarantine will be considered are as follows:
(1) the owner is a city resident;
(2) the owner possesses facilities adequate to restrain the animal so as to prevent exposure of persons or other animals;
(3) the animal was not at-large at the time of the exposure;
(4) adequate documentation exists that the animal was vaccinated against rabies in the preceding 12 month period; and
(5) the animal currently possesses no apparent symptoms of rabies.
(g) Any violation of the conditions of home quarantine will require that the animal be immediately surrendered to the animal control authority for quarantine according to the provisions of this article.
(h) It is unlawful for any person to kill or remove from the city limits any animal that has bitten a person or other animal, or that has been placed under quarantine without the animal control authority’s approval, except when it is necessary to kill such animal to protect the life of any person or other animal.
(i) The carcass of any dead animal exposed to rabies or suspected of having rabies; or any dead animal that has bitten or scratched a person or other animal, must upon demand, be surrendered to the animal control authority.
(Ord. No. 3141, § 3, 8-8-02; Ord. No. 3728, 11-11-10)