(A) It shall be the duty of each owner or person in charge of an animal known to have or suspected of having rabies or any other communicable disease, or known to have been bitten by another animal having or suspected of having any such disease, to forthwith take such animal to a veterinarian for confinement and observation or to securely confine such animal on his or her own premises, and, in either case, to notify the Pocahontas County Health Department. Any animal so confined shall be destroyed in a humane manner upon a finding by a licensed veterinarian that the animal has rabies or some other incurable communicable disease. No animal shall be released from such confinement until it is determined by a licensed veterinarian that the animal is free of rabies or any other communicable disease.
(B) Rabid animals found at large within the town shall be humanely euthanized forthwith by any authorized personnel. It shall be the duty of the authorized personnel to immediately notify the Pocahontas County Health Department upon killing any animal of having exhibited signs of rabies and to comply with instruction of the Pocahontas County Health Department as to making the carcass or any portion of the carcass available to the Health Department for examination.
(C) Any person having knowledge of an animal known to have or suspected of having rabies or any other communicable disease shall forthwith notify authorized personnel. If the owner or person in charge of such animal can be found without undue delay, he or she shall be notified by the humane officer or police officer to comply with the provisions of division (A) above forthwith; otherwise, such animal shall be destroyed in a humane manner.
(Prior Code, § 3-114) (Ord. passed 11-7-2011) Penalty, see § 90.999