(A) (1) Every animal which is known to have bitten a person and which has not been vaccinated, as provided in the Health and Sanitation Code, shall be reported to the Health Department within 24 hours and quarantined by the Animal Control Director for a period of ten days. It shall be discretionary with the Animal Control Director or its agents whether or not the quarantine is:
(a) On the premises of the owner or
(b) At the animal shelter at a cost of $150 or
(c) In a veterinarian hospital of the owner's choice with expenses paid by the owner.
(2) Owner will have seven days from the completion of the quarantine to obtain a rabies certificate with a veterinarian signature and veterinarian record of current disease prevention vaccination, such as DA2PP, DHLP, or FVRCP.
(3) The animal will be required to have a microchip implanted either by the veterinarian of their choosing or by the staff of the Animal Control Department within seven days from the completion of the quarantine.
(B) (1) Every animal which is known to have bitten a person and which has been vaccinated, as provided in the Health and Sanitation Code, shall be reported to the Health Department within 24 hours. A quarantine will not be necessary if the following applies:
(a) Owner is able to produce an unexpired rabies certificate with a veterinarian signature within 24 business hours to the Animal Control Department.
(b) The animal was last vaccinated no less than ten days prior to the reported bite.
(2) The animal will be required to have a microchip implanted, either by the veterinarian of their choosing or by the staff of the Animal Control Department, within seven days from the reported bite.
(C) The owner, upon demand by the Animal Control Director or its agents, shall surrender any unvaccinated animal which is known to have bitten a human being in order that they might supervise the quarantine, the expenses of which is to be borne by the owner and such animal may be reclaimed by the owner at such time as it is adjudged to be free of rabies, upon payment of the fees set forth in this chapter, together with any expenses incurred by the Department in the quarantine of any such animal.
(D) The owner may, during the time that his or her animal is quarantined, have his or her animal, at his or her own expense, observed by a licensed veterinarian and treated for any condition requiring medical care in the opinion of the owner or veterinarian.
(E) In the event an animal placed under quarantine has been determined to be rabid by a licensed veterinarian, the animal shall be euthanized and the head of such animal shall be sent by the City-County Board of Health to the Department of Health of the State at the owner's expense.
(F) No person shall kill, or cause to be killed, any rabid animal determined to have bitten a human being, or remove such animal so suspected from the city without written permission from the Animal Control Director.
(G) In the event an animal which is known to have bitten a human being or an unvaccinated animal in the last ten days and is surrendered or abandoned by the owner will be held responsible for all costs incurred, to include, but not limited to, the quarantine fee of $150 and any additional costs incurred by the Department in the quarantine of any such animal including the cost of euthanasia and if applicable the costs of rabies testing. Applicable fees can be paid directly to the animal shelter or a citation can be issued to also include in addition the appropriate citation offense fee.
(1) In the event the owner/harborer intends to ultimately surrender the animal, will have the option to avoid the $150 fee by completing a ten-day quarantine on the owner's premises before surrendering the animal, but will be required to have the animal microchipped at the cost to the owner at the time of attempted surrender.
(a) At the discretion of the Director, the owner may be required to pay the applicable euthanasia fees as provided in § 91.04, Owner Euthanasia Request, at the time of surrender at the conclusion of the ten-day quarantine.
(2) If the owner/harborer is able to produce an unexpired rabies certificate with a veterinarian signature at the time of surrender and the animal was vaccinated no less than ten days prior to the reported bite is exempt from the $150 fee, but at the discretion of the Director may be required to pay the applicable euthanasia fees as provided in § 91.04, Owner Euthanasia Request.
(H) In the event an animal which is known to have bitten a human being or animal is determined to be a stray or surrendered or abandoned by the owner shall be euthanized by injection at the conclusion of its quarantine period or applicable hold period, unless a rescue or another shelter is willing to have the animal transferred to their facility/organization within five days of the conclusion of the quarantine or hold period.
(Ord. 1997-5, passed - - ; Am. Ord. 2019-03, passed 4-2-2019; Am. Ord. 2023-06, passed 7-3-2023)