A. Vaccination Requirements: All dogs, cats or other animals, susceptible to rabies, for which a federally approved vaccine is available, shall be vaccinated at three (3) months of age and again at fifteen (15) months of age, by a licensed veterinarian or rabies clinic. Every dog shall be revaccinated every twenty four (24) months and every cat revaccinated every twelve (12) months, thereafter. Any unvaccinated dog or cat over three (3) months of age, adopted or brought into the jurisdiction, must likewise be vaccinated initially. Thereafter, valid protection must be maintained.
B. Exception For Transient Animals: The provisions of this chapter, with respect to vaccination, shall not apply to any animal owned by a person temporarily remaining within the jurisdiction for less than thirty (30) days. Such animal shall be confined by restraint device and under supervision of the owner. It is unlawful to bring any animal into the jurisdiction which does not comply with the animal health laws and import regulations.
C. Vaccination Certification And Tags:
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 the animal;
c. Date of vaccination;
d. Rabies vaccination tag number;
e. Type of vaccine administered;
f. Manufacturer's serial number of vaccine;
2. A copy of the certificate shall be distributed to the owner of the animal, 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 chapter.
3. Additionally, a metal or durable plastic rabies vaccination tag, serially numbered, shall be securely attached to the collar or harness of the animal. An animal not wearing such a tag shall be deemed to be unvaccinated and may be impounded and dealt with pursuant to this chapter.
D. Impoundment Of Animals Without Valid Rabies Vaccination Tags:
1. Any vaccinated animal impounded because of a lack of a rabies vaccination tag may be reclaimed by its owner by furnishing proof of a 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 seventy two (72) hours of release.
3. Any animal not reclaimed within the prescribed period of time shall be disposed of pursuant to provisions of section 5-1-7 of this chapter.
E. Rabid Animal Reports: 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 division of animal control, or the state or county health department.
F. Quarantine And Disposition Of Biting Animals:
1. An animal that has rabies, or shows signs of having rabies, and every animal bitten by another animal affected with rabies, or that has been exposed to rabies, shall be reported by the owner as set forth above, and shall immediately be confined in a secure place by the owner. The owner shall turn over the animal to the animal control agents upon demand.
2. The owner of any animal of a species subject to rabies which has been bitten by another animal known to be capable of harboring the rabies virus, 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.
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 (10) days by the animal control department. The owner of the animal shall bear the cost of confinement. The animal shelter shall be the normal place for such quarantine, but other arrangements, including confinement by the owner, may be made by the animal control department, if the animal has current rabies vaccinations at the time the bite is 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 is unlawful for any person who has custody of a quarantined animal to fail or 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 (10) days from the date of the bite, the person having custody shall immediately notify the animal control department in order that the department may immediately remove and deliver the head to the state health department. If at the end of the ten (10) day period, an investigating officer of the department of animal care and 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 section 5-1-7 of this chapter.
4. Unvaccinated Bitten Animals:
a. In the case of an unvaccinated animal species subject to rabies, which is known to have been bitten by a known rabid animal, such bitten or exposed animal shall be immediately destroyed.
b. If the owner is unwilling to destroy the bitten or exposed animal, the animal shall be immediately isolated and quarantined for six (6) 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.
5. Vaccinated Bitten Animals:
a. If the bitten or exposed animal is currently vaccinated, as prescribed herein, the animal shall be revaccinated within twenty four (24) hours and quarantined for a period of thirty (30) days following vaccination; or
b. If the animal is not revaccinated within twenty four (24) hours, the animal shall be isolated and quarantined under veterinary supervision for six (6) months.
c. The animal shall be destroyed if the owner does not comply with subsection F5a or F5b of this section, regarding exposure by known rabid animals.
6. Removal Of Quarantined Animal Prohibited: It shall be unlawful for any person to remove any such animal from the place of quarantine without written permission of the police chief.
G. Bites; Duty To Report:
1. Any person having knowledge of any individual or animal having been bitten by an animal of a species subject to rabies shall report the incident immediately to the department of animal control.
2. The owner of an animal that bites a person and any person bitten by an animal, shall report the bite to the department of animal control within twenty four (24) hours of the bite, regardless of whether or not the biting animal is of a species subject to rabies.
3. A physician or other medical personnel who renders professional treatment to a person bitten by an animal, the bite of which might cause rabies, shall report the fact that he has rendered professional treatment to the department of animal control, within twenty four (24) hours of his first professional attendance. He shall report the name, sex and address of the person bitten, as well as the type and location of the bite. If known, he shall give the name and address of the owner of the animal that inflicted the bite, and any other facts that may assist the animal control department.
4. Any person treating an animal bitten, injured or mauled by another animal, shall report the incident to the department of animal control. The report shall contain the name and address of the owner of the wounded, injured or bitten animal, the name and address of the owner and description of the animal which caused the injury, and the location of the incident.
5. Any person not conforming with the requirements of this section shall be in violation of this chapter. (1982 Code § 13-206)