(a) Muzzling. Whenever it becomes necessary to safeguard the public from the dangers of hydrophobia, the Safety Director and/or the City Manager if he or she deems it necessary, shall issue a proclamation ordering every person owning or keeping an animal to confine it securely on his or her premises unless the animal shall have a muzzle of sufficient strength to prevent its biting any person. Any unmuzzled animal running at large during the time of the proclamation shall be seized and impounded, unless noticeably infected with rabies. All animals so noticeably infected with rabies and displaying vicious propensities shall be destroyed by the City Animal Warden representative or the police without notice to the owner. Animals impounded during the first two days of the proclamation shall, if claimed within five days, be released to the owner, unless infected with rabies, upon payment of the impounding charges. If unclaimed after that period, the animal will become under humane shelter rules. No person knowing or suspecting that an animal has rabies shall allow the animal to be taken off his or her premises or beyond the limits of the city without written permission of the City Animal Warden representative. Every owner or other person upon ascertaining an animal is rabid shall immediately notify the City Animal Warden representative or any police officer who shall see that the animal is removed to the pound or summarily destroy it.
(b) Vaccination. No owner of any dog or cat shall keep or maintain the dog or cat unless it has been vaccinated by a licensed veterinary surgeon with anti-rabies vaccine, within one year preceding the date on which the animal is kept or maintained.
(c) Whoever violates this section is guilty of a minor misdemeanor.
(Ord. 31-1977, passed 5-9-1977)