A. Infected Animal: If any animal impounded under the provisions of this chapter is found to be suffering from rabies or infected with hydrophobia, mange or other infectious or dangerous disease, it shall not be released, and, unless otherwise provided for herein, may be forthwith destroyed.
B. Reporting Dog And Animal Bites:
1. Report By Owner: Any person owning, possessing or harboring any animal that bites any person or any person bitten by such animal shall report the same to the animal control officer. The animal control officer shall notify the owner of the relevant quarantine requirements.
2. Report By Person Bitten: It shall be the duty of every person bitten by a dog or other animal to immediately notify the animal control officer, giving his/her full name, age and address, the circumstances surrounding and the extent of the bite, the medical treatment given and the name and address of the owner or person having custody or possession of the animal.
3. Duty Of Parent Or Guardian: If the person bitten by a dog or other animal is under the age of eighteen (18) years or is unable to report to the animal control officer, it shall be the duty of the minor's parent or guardian or whoever is caring for the person bitten to make such report.
4. Duty Of Physician: It shall be the duty of every physician to report immediately to the animal control officer the full name, age and address of any person under his/her care or observation who has been bitten by a dog or other animal.
5. Failure To Report: Failure, refusal or neglect by the owner to immediately notify the animal control officer that a person has been bitten by a dog or other animal or that a dog or other animal is suspected of rabies or to make an inspection or examination of the animal for the purpose of determining whether it has rabies.
C. Quarantine: No person owning or having custody or possession of such dog or other animal shall fail, refuse or neglect to quarantine such animal for such period as may be designated by the animal control officer.
D. Bite Quarantine: Whenever the owner or person having custody or possession of any dog or other domestic animal shall observe or learn that the animal has bitten a human being, such owner or person shall immediately contact the Rathdrum animal control officer and confine such animal in an enclosure or securely hold the animal by means of a chain or other device for at least ten (10) days at the location designated by the animal control officer to make an inspection or examination of the animal for the purpose of determining whether it has rabies. Any domestic animal, with or without proof of a current rabies vaccination, that is known to have bitten a person must be placed in strict quarantine for observation for a period not less than ten (10) days, which shall be determined from the date of the bite occurred.
1. The animal control impound facility or a veterinary hospital will be the normal place for a quarantine, however, the police chief, or designee, may approve other quarantine arrangements, including confinement by the owner, if the police chief, or designee, determines:
a. That the animal will be securely and humanely housed during the term of the quarantine; and
b. The animal will be segregated to prevent exposure of other animals or humans; and
c. The public will be adequately protected.
2. A person who has custody of an animal under quarantine shall immediately notify the police department if the animal shows any signs of sickness or abnormal behavior, dies, or if the animal escapes confinement.
3. It is unlawful for any person who has custody of a quarantined animal to fail or refuse to allow the police chief, or designee, to make an inspection or examination of the animal or the quarantine area during the period of quarantine.
4. It is unlawful for any person to remove any animal from the place of quarantine without the written permission of the police chief or designee.
5. The cost of quarantining an animal must be paid in advance by the owner or custodian of the animal otherwise the animal will be euthanized.
E. Animal Apparently Afflicted With Rabies: It shall be the duty of every person having knowledge of the existence of a dog or other animal apparently afflicted with rabies, showing symptoms of rabies, or otherwise acting in a manner which would lead to a reasonable suspicion that the animal might have rabies, to report immediately to the animal control officer the existence and description of such animal, the place where sent, the name of the owner or person having custody or possession of the animal, if known, and the symptoms suggesting rabies.
F. Dog Believed Afflicted:
1. Confinement: If a dog is believed to have rabies or has been bitten by a dog suspected to have rabies, such dog shall be confined by a leash or a chain on the owner's premises and shall be placed under the observation of a veterinarian at the expense of the owner for a period of time deemed necessary by a licensed veterinarian.
2. Notification To Animal Control Officer: The owner shall notify the animal control officer of the fact that the owner's dog has been exposed to rabies.
3. Removal To Veterinary Hospital Or Humane Society: At the discretion of the animal control officer, the animal control officer is empowered to have such dog removed from the owner's premises to a veterinary hospital or humane society and placed under observation for a period of time deemed necessary by a licensed veterinarian at the expense of the owner.
G. Danger Of Rabies Or Hydrophobia:
1. Publication Of Notice To Vaccinate: When advised by the state or county board of health that there is a danger of rabies or hydrophobia, or when the chief of police is of the opinion that there is a danger, the chief of police shall publish in one issue of the Coeur d'Alene Press, a newspaper of general circulation in the city, and being the official newspaper of the city, a notice requiring the owners or harborers of any canine within the city to have such canine vaccinated against rabies or hydrophobia.
2. Vaccination And Confinement: The owners or harborers of such canine within the city shall, as soon as possible, have such canine vaccinated and keep such canine securely confined in a pen or enclosure for a period of thirty (30) days.
3. Destruction Of Unvaccinated Dogs: At the time such vaccination is made, the person vaccinating the canine shall issue a tag furnished to the owner of the canine showing that such vaccination has been had and such tag shall be affixed to the collar of the canine. It shall be the duty of every police officer to take and destroy any canine whose owner has not had such canine vaccinated as herein provided.
H. Proclamation Of Mayor:
1. Muzzle Required: Whenever it becomes necessary to safeguard the public from the dangers of hydrophobia (rabies), the mayor, if the mayor deems necessary, shall issue a proclamation ordering every person owning or keeping a dog to confine it securely on his/her premises unless such dog has a muzzle of sufficient strength to prevent its biting any person.
2. Unmuzzled Dogs Running At Large: Any unmuzzled dog running at large during the time of the proclamation shall be seized and impounded unless noticeably infected with rabies. All dogs so noticeably infected with rabies and displaying vicious propensities shall be killed by any police officer or animal control officer without notice to owner.
3. Impounded Dogs: Unless infected with rabies, dogs impounded during the first two (2) days of such proclamation shall, if claimed within five (5) days, be released to the owner upon payment of the impounding charges provided for in subsection 5-2-6
C of this chapter. If unclaimed after that period, such dog may be summarily destroyed. (Ord. 520, 4-12-2011; amd. Ord. 629, 10-25-2023)