(A) If it shall appear to the Director that any animal has rabies, the Director may destroy such animal forthwith, or may hold such animal for further examination or observation for such time as the Director may determine to be appropriate.
(B) Whenever any animal has been bitten by an animal which has rabies, which exhibits any symptoms of rabies or which is otherwise suspected of having or having been exposed to rabies, the owner or person having custody of such bitten animal shall immediately notify the Director, and shall immediately confine the animal and maintain that confinement until it is established, to the satisfaction of the Director, that such animal does not have rabies. The Director shall have the power to quarantine any such animal, or impound it at the owner's expense if the owner or person having custody of such animal shall fail, refuse, or is unable, in the opinion of the Director, to adequately confine such animal immediately, or in the event the owner or person having custody of such animal is not readily accessible.
(C) Whenever it is shown that any animal has bitten any person, the owner or person having custody of such animal shall, upon the order of the Director, quarantine such animal and keep confined at the owners expense for a minimum period of ten days for dogs and cats and 14 days for all other animals, and shall allow the Director to make an inspection or examination of such animal at any time during such period of quarantine. Animals quarantined pursuant to this subsection shall not be removed from the premises upon which such animal is quarantined without permission of the Director. The Director is authorized to impound any animal at the owner's expense in the event the owner or. person having custody of such animal falls or refuses to so confine such animal. Animals quarantined pursuant to this subsection shall remain under quarantine until notice is given by the direct that such quarantine is terminated.
(D) The Director may at his or her discretion post or cause to be posted an appropriate sign on any premises where an animal is quarantined pursuant to this chapter, for the purpose of warning the public of the fact of such quarantine. It is unlawful for any person to remove a sign posted pursuant to this subsection without the permission of the Director.
(E) Whenever the Director shall determine that an epidemic of rabies exists or is threatened, the Director shall have the authority to take such measures as may be reasonably necessary to prevent the spread of the disease, including but not limited to the declaration of quarantine against any or all animals in any area of the City as the Director may determine and define, for a period of not more than 120 days. An additional or extended quarantine period may also be declared if such additional or extended quarantine period shall be deemed necessary by the Director for the protection and preservation of the public health, peace and safety. Any quarantine declared pursuant to this subsection, other than as restricted herein, shall be upon such conditions as the Director may determine and declare.
(F) No person shall bring a dog into the City of Menifee from any city located in the county in which a reported case of rabies exists or has existed within the past six months, nor shall any person bring a dog into the City of Menifee from any county, city, state or country in which a reported case of rabies exists or has existed within the preceding six months.
(G) In order to protect the public health from the hazard of rabies which has been found to exist in skunks, a quarantine is imposed to continue until released by the Director, whereby it is prohibited to trap or capture skunks for pets; to trap, capture, or hold skunks in captivity for any reason; to transport skunks from or into the City of Menifee except pursuant to a permit issued by the California Department of Health Services pursuant to Title 17, California Administrative Code, section 2606.8.
(H) Any exotic or hybrid animal shall be vaccinated and/or quarantined pursuant to state law.
(Ord. 2018-252, passed 12-5-2018)