(A) Dogs or cats found within the county reasonably suspected of having rabies or exhibiting the common symptoms of such disease shall be taken into custody immediately by the Animal Commissioner or any police officer and confined in the county pound or at a private veterinarian’s establishment approved by the County Health Director in solitary confinement and kept under competent observation for such time as may be necessary to determine whether they are afflicted with rabies.
(B) At the time any such dog or cat is impounded, an attempt shall be made to discover whether the dog or cat has been vaccinated previously against rabies. If it is found that such dog or cat has been vaccinated effectively, then such dog or cat shall be so vaccinated by a licensed veterinarian on the last day of the observation period described in division (A) above unless the animal is humanely destroyed pursuant to division (C) below.
(C) The Animal Commissioner may cause to be destroyed humanely any dog or cat which, in the opinion of a veterinarian, has rabies, or any dog or car which is in need of confinement pursuant to division (A) above but such confinement is impossible or impractical because there apparently is no owner or for other reasons. In such event, the Animal Commissioner shall arrange to have the head of such dog or cat examined for the purpose of confirming rabies. If the opinion of a veterinarian as to whether an animal has rabies is not reasonably obtainable, the Animal Commissioner may act on his or her own opinion.
(D) All expenses in connection with the provisions of this section shall be borne by the owner of the dog or cat in question.
(Ord. passed 5-14-1987)