(A) The owner or harborer of a domestic animal that has bitten any person must report the event to the local rabies control authority or designated agent within 24 hours of such bite for investigation. Every physician or other medical practitioner who treats a person or person(s) for such bites shall, within 12 hours, report such treatment to the local rabies control authority or designated agent for investigation. Bites by birds or reptiles are exempted from this section.
(B) When a domestic animal has bitten any person, the owner or harborer shall be required to place the animal in quarantine, or the owner or harborer may sign a release allowing the animal to be humanely destroyed and tested at owner’s or harborer’s expense. The animal should be placed in quarantine as soon as possible after the bite incident. The ten-day observation period begins on the first day of occurrence of bite.
(1) Unvaccinated animals should not be vaccinated for rabies during the observation period; however, the animal may be treated for unrelated medical problems.
(2) An unowned domestic animal that has bitten a person may be humanely destroyed and tested.
(3) A high-risk animal (bat, raccoon, fox, skunk, or coyote) that has bitten a person must be humanely destroyed and tested.
(4) A low-risk animal that has bitten someone does not have to be tested unless the local rabies control authority or designated agent suspects rabies.
(5) An animal that inflicts multiple wounds to a person may be required by the local rabies control authority or designated agent to be humanely destroyed and tested.
(6) Animals that are not defined herein as domestic animals or high risk animals (as defined in § 97.65(C)(3)), that have bitten a person, may, at the discretion of the local rabies control authority, be humanely destroyed and tested, or be quarantined or suitably confined for 30 days for observation.
(7) Currently vaccinated (prior 12 months) therapy or police dogs may not be required to be quarantined.
(8) Any animal that cannot be quarantined properly must be humanely destroyed and tested.
(9) The owner or harborer of such animal shall be responsible for all costs associated with this section.
(Ord. 2002-1, passed 2-19-02; Am. Ord. 2017-1, passed 1-17-17; Am. Ord. 2017-21, passed 12-19-17; Am. Ord. 2024-5, passed 2-20-24)
Statutory reference:
Rabies control act, see Tex. Health and Safety Code, §§ 826.001 et seq.