(A) Rabies vaccination required for dogs. The owner or person having the charge, care, custody and control of a dog four months of age or over shall have said animal vaccinated within 30 days after it reaches said age. Any person permitting any such animal to habitually be on or remain, or be lodged or fed within such person’s house, yard or premises shall be responsible for said vaccination. Unvaccinated dogs over four months of age acquired by the owner or moved into the jurisdiction must be vaccinated thereafter every 24 months with a modified virus rabies vaccine approved by the County Health Department. This provision shall not apply to veterinarian or kennel operators temporarily maintaining on their premises animals owned by others.
(B) Duties of veterinarians and tag requirements.
(1) It shall be the duty of each veterinarian when vaccinating any animal for rabies to complete a certificate of rabies vaccination (in duplicate) which includes the following information:
(a) Owner’s name and address;
(b) Description of animal (breed, sex, markings, age, name);
(c) Date of vaccination;
(d) Rabies vaccination tag number;
(e) Type of rabies vaccine administered; and
(f) Manufacturer’s serial number of vaccine.
(2) A copy of the certificate shall be distributed to the owner and original retained by the issuing veterinarian. The veterinarian and the owner shall retain their copies of the certificate for the interval between vaccinations specified in this section. Additionally, a numbered serialized metal or durable plastic rabies vaccination tag shall be securely attached to the collar or harness of all dogs. A dog not wearing such tag shall be deemed to be unvaccinated and may be impounded and dealt with pursuant to this section.
(C) Transient animal exception. The provisions of this section with respect to vaccination shall not apply to any animal owned by a person temporarily remaining in the jurisdictions for less than 30 days. Such animals shall be kept under strict supervision of the owner. It shall be unlawful to bring any animal into the jurisdiction, which does not comply with animal health laws and import regulations.
(D) Impoundment of animal without vaccination tag.
(1) Any vaccinated animal impounded because of a lack of rabies vaccination tag may be reclaimed by its owner by furnishing proof of rabies vaccination and payment of all impoundment fees prior to release.
(2) Any unvaccinated animal may be reclaimed prior to disposal by payment of impound fees and by obtaining a rabies vaccination within 72 hours of release.
(3) Any dog not reclaimed prior to the period shall be disposed of pursuant to provision of § 93.10(C).
(E) Reporting of rabid animals. Any person having knowledge of the whereabouts of an animal known to have been exposed to or suspected of having rabies, or of an animal or person bitten by such a suspect animal, shall notify the Department of Animal Control, the County Health Department or the State Division of Health.
(F) Quarantining and disposition of biting or rabid animals.
(1) An animal that has rabies or shows signs of having rabies, and every animal infected with rabies or that has been exposed to rabies, shall be reported by the owner as is set forth in division (E) above, and shall immediately be confined in a secure place by the owner.
(2) The owner of any animal of a species subject to rabies which has bitten, shall surrender the animal to an authorized official upon demand. Any person authorized to enforce this chapter may enter upon private property to seize the animal; if the owner refuses to surrender the animal, the officer shall immediately obtain a search warrant authorizing seizure and impoundment of the animal.
(3) Any animal of a species subject to rabies that bites a person or animal or is suspected of having rabies may be seized and quarantined for observation for a period of not less than ten days by the Department of Animal Control and/or the Health Department. The owner of the animal shall bear the cost of confinement. The animal shelter shall be the normal place for quarantine, but other arrangements, including confinement by the owner, may be made by the director of animal control and/or the director of health if the animal had a current rabies vaccination at the time the bite was inflicted or if there are other special circumstances justifying an exception. A person who has custody of an animal under quarantine shall immediately notify the Department of Animal Control if the animal shows any signs of sickness or abnormal behavior, or if the animal escapes confinement. It shall be unlawful for any person who has custody of a quarantined animal to fail or to refuse to allow a health or animal control officer to make an inspection or examination during the period of quarantine. If the animal dies within ten days from the date of the bite, the person having custody shall immediately notify the Department or immediately remove and deliver the head to the state health laboratory to be examined for rabies. If, at the end of the ten day period, the director of animal control examines the animal and finds no sign of rabies, the animal may be released to the owner or in the case of a stray, it shall be disposed of as provided in § 93.10(C).
(G) Disposition and impounding of bitten animals.
(1) Unvaccinated bitten animals. In the case of an unvaccinated animal species subject to rabies which is known to have been bitten by a known rabid animal, said bitten or exposed animal should be immediately destroyed. If the owner is unwilling to destroy the bitten or exposed animal, the animal shall be immediately isolated and quarantined for six months under veterinary supervision, the cost of such confinement to be paid in advance by the owner. The animal shall be destroyed if the owner does not comply herewith.
(2) Vaccinated bitten animals. If the bitten or exposed animal has been vaccinated, the animal shall be revaccinated within 24 hours and quarantined for a period of 45 days following revaccination; or if the animal is not revaccinated within 24 hours, the animal shall be isolated and quarantined under veterinary supervision for six months. The animal shall be destroyed if the owner does not comply with this division (G).
(H) Removal of quarantined animal. It shall be unlawful for any person to remove any such animal from the place of quarantine without written permission of the Department of Animal Control. It is unlawful for any person to permit, or suffer to escape, any such animal from its place of quarantine or impoundment.
(Prior Code, § 5-1-6) Penalty, see § 93.99