A. It shall be the duty of every physician, or other medical practitioner, to report to the ACOs or police the name and address of person(s) treated for bites inflicted by animals, together with such other information as will be helpful in rabies control.
B. When an animal bite by an animal at large without the owner present is reported to animal control or the police, the animal shall be securely quarantined at the City's animal shelter at the direction of the ACO or police for a period of ten (10) days, and shall not be released from such quarantine except by permission of the ACOs or the police. Said quarantine shall be at the owner's expense and in the amount set forth in section 6-6-5 of this chapter. If an animal at large bites an individual and the owner of the animal is not able to provide documentation of current vaccinations, the animal will be required to be quarantined at the City's animal shelter at the owner's expense. If the owner is able to provide documentation that the animal's vaccinations are current, the animal can complete the remaining time required for the quarantine period at the owner's residence at the discretion of the ACO. The animal will not be released to the owner until the daily fee(s) that have been accumulated have been paid in full or payment arrangements agreeable with the City have been made. At the discretion of the ACO or police, such quarantine may be on the premises of the owner, at the City animal shelter, or at the owner's option and expense, in a veterinary hospital of their choice. ACOs or the police officer shall be responsible for completing the animal bite investigation form and for making sure that the animal is quarantined. The owner or responsible party shall be required to sign the form acknowledging receipt of the quarantine notice. If the report is being made to the police, the animal bite investigation form and all investigative information shall be forwarded to the ACO for required recordkeeping. A copy of the animal bite investigation form shall then be forwarded to the Central District Health Department.
C. The owner, upon demand made by ACOs or the police, shall forthwith surrender any animal which has bitten a human, or which is suspected as having been exposed to rabies, for quarantine, supervised by a veterinarian, which expense shall be borne by the owner, and may be reclaimed by the owner if adjudged free of rabies, upon payment of fees set forth in section 6-6-5 of this chapter and upon compliance of licensing provisions set forth in section 6-6-4 of this chapter.
D. When an animal under quarantine has been diagnosed as being rabid or suspected by a licensed veterinarian as being rabid and dies while under such observation, ACOs shall immediately send the head of such animal to the State Department of Health and Welfare for pathological examination, and shall notify the Central District Health Office of reports of human contacts, and the diagnosis made of the suspected animal.
E. When one or both reports have given a positive diagnosis of rabies in an animal, ACOs or the police may recommend to the Chief of Police a Citywide quarantine for a period of thirty (30) days, and upon the invoking of such quarantine, no animal shall be taken into the streets, or permitted to be in the streets, during such period of quarantine. During such period of quarantine, any animal found on the streets or roaming at large shall be placed in the City animal shelter. If such animal is unlicensed or is of unknown ownership, it shall be held for a period of forty eight (48) hours, after which it shall be destroyed.
F. During such period of rabies quarantine as herein mentioned, every animal bitten by an animal adjudged to be rabid shall be forthwith destroyed or, at the owner's option and expense, shall be treated for rabies infection by a licensed veterinarian, or held under ten (10) days' quarantine by the owner in the same manner as other animals are quarantined.
G. In the event there are additional positive cases of rabies occurring during the period of the quarantine, such period of quarantine may be extended indefinitely.
H. The carcass of any dead animal exposed to rabies shall, upon demand, be surrendered to ACOs. ACOs shall direct the disposition of any animal found to be infected with rabies.
I. It shall be unlawful for any person to fail or refuse to surrender any animal for quarantine or destruction as required herein when demand is made thereof by ACOs or the police.
J. The first violation of this section shall be an infraction, however, individuals charged with a second and/or subsequent violation(s) shall be charged with a misdemeanor. (Ord. 1665, 9-25-2017)