(A) If an owned animal has bitten a person, the animal shall, at the owner’s expense, be quarantined at the New Castle/Henry County Animal Shelter or a veterinary hospital located in Henry County for a period of ten days; provided, however, if the animal has a valid rabies vaccination and the animal did not leave the property of the owner during the bite, the owner may elect to quarantine the animal on owner’s property in accordance with the state of Indiana’s home quarantine guidelines.
(1) If the animal dies during the period it shall, at the owner's expense, be sent to the proper authorities to determine whether or not it was rabid.
(2) The animal must be at a quarantine location within 24 hours of the bite occurrence.
(B) Immediately following a bite during the first 24 hours while the animal is awaiting quarantine, the animal must be contained on the owner’s property within a secure enclosure, consisting of four sides and a top, and securely locked so that the animal cannot come into contact with others.
(C) If the bite, as determined by the Director of the Animal Shelter, is deemed vicious, the animal shall be immediately removed from the owner and quarantined at the Animal Shelter. A bite is determined by the opening of skin.
(D) If an owned animal has bitten a person and the animal has not been properly vaccinated or licensed under this chapter the fines for such shall be double.
(E) If the owner of such animal does not reclaim the animal after the quarantine period, the animal shelter shall destroy the animal at the owner’s expense.
(Ord. 2452, passed 5-l7-82; Am. Ord. 2707, passed 4-4-88; Am. Ord. 3503, passed 3-5-07; Am. Ord. 3766, passed 4-3-17) Penalty, see § 90.999