A. Proclamation Of Mayor Upon Threat Of Rabies: The mayor is hereby authorized, upon reasonable apprehension of danger from dogs or other animals with rabies, to issue a proclamation forbidding all dogs of every description and other animals from running at large in the city. All dogs and other animals shall be securely confined or on a sufficient leash or chain to hold the animal. Any animal running loose while the proclamation is in force shall be captured and impounded. The proclamation shall take effect upon publication in a newspaper of general circulation in the city and posting in at least three (3) public places.
B. Vaccination Required For Dogs: The owner or person having the charge or control of a dog shall have said animal vaccinated by a licensed veterinarian within thirty (30) days after it reaches four (4) months of age. Unvaccinated dogs acquired by the owner or the owner of which moves into the city must be vaccinated within thirty (30) days. A second vaccination must be obtained twelve (12) months after the first and every twenty four (24) months thereafter with a modified virus rabies vaccine approved by the Weber County health department. 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. This provision shall not apply to veterinarian or kennel operators temporarily maintaining on their premises animals owned by others.
C. Duties Of Veterinarian And Tag Requirements:
1. Certificate: 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.
f. Manufacturer's serial number of vaccine.
2. Distribution Of Certificate; Tag: A copy of the certificate shall be distributed to the owner and the 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 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 tag shall be deemed to be unvaccinated and may be impounded and dealt with pursuant to this chapter. In lieu of such tag, an approved type of body marking may be utilized to evidence vaccination.
3. Transient Animal Exception: The provisions of subsection B of this section shall not apply to any dog owned by a person temporarily remaining within the city for less than thirty (30) days. Such dogs shall be kept under strict supervision by the owner. It shall be unlawful to bring any animal into the city which does not comply with the animal health laws and import regulations of the state.
D. Impoundment Of Animal Without Valid Rabies Vaccination Tag:
1. Any vaccinated animal impounded because of a lack of a 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 seventy two (72) hours of release.
3. Any dog not reclaimed prior to the impound holding period shall be disposed of pursuant to provisions of subsection 5-4-11C of this chapter.
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 animal control service, the Weber County health department or the state division of health.
F. Quarantining And Disposition Of Biting, Bitten Or Rabid Animals:
1. Reporting; Confinement: 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 in subsection E of this section and shall immediately be confined in a secure place by the owner, which place shall not be harmful to the animal. The owner shall turn over the animal to the animal control service upon demand.
2. Surrender Of Animal: The owner of any animal of a species subject to rabies which has been 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. (Ord. 619, 6-17-2003)
3. Quarantine: 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 service and/or the health department. 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. The owner of the animal shall bear the cost of confinement. The animal shelter shall be the normal place of quarantine, but other arrangements, including confinement by the owner, may be made by the police chief 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 animal control service if the animal shows 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 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 service or immediately remove and deliver the head of the animal to the state health department laboratory to be examined for rabies. If, at the end of the ten (10) day period, the police chief 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 this chapter. (Ord. 815, 9-25-2012)
4. Unvaccinated Bitten Animals:
a. In the case of an unvaccinated animal of a species subject to rabies which is known to have been bitten by a known rabid animal, said 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 fourteen (14) days 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 has been vaccinated, the animal shall be revaccinated within twenty four (24) hours and quarantined for a period of thirty (30) days following revaccination at the expense of the owner; 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 at the expense of the owner.
c. The animal shall be destroyed if the owner does not comply with subsections F5a and F5b of this section.
6. 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 animal control service. (Ord. 619, 6-17-2003)
7. Dangerous Animal: If any animal bites or attacks a person or animal two (2) times or more, such animal may be immediately impounded by the animal control service without court order and held at owner expense pending court action. Any such animal shall be deemed a dangerous animal, and the police chief or appointed animal control officer may seek a court order as provided in section 5-4-12 of this chapter for destruction of the animal. Parties owning such animal shall, if possible, be notified immediately of the animal's location by the animal control service. (Ord. 815, 9-25-2012)