A. Any dog or cat found within the City reasonably suspected of having rabies, having contact with a rabid or suspected rabid animal, or exhibiting the common symptoms of such disease shall be taken into custody immediately by the Animal Control Officer and confined in the City animal shelter or at a private veterinarian establishment approved by the Director. The animal shall be kept in solitary confinement for such time as recommended by the State Department of Health Services to determine whether the animal is afflicted with rabies.
B. At the time any such animal is impounded, an attempt shall be made to discover whether the animal has been vaccinated previously against rabies. If it is found that such animal has not been vaccinated effectively, then such animal shall be vaccinated by a licensed veterinarian after the last day of the observation period described in paragraph (A) above, unless the animal is humanely destroyed pursuant to paragraph (C) below.
C. The Animal Control Officer may cause to be humanely destroyed any dog or cat which, in the opinion of a veterinarian or animal health technician, has rabies, or is in need of confinement pursuant to paragraph (A) above, but such confinement is impossible or impractical. In such circumstance, the Animal Control Officer shall arrange to have the head of such dog or cat examined for the purpose of confirming rabies. If the opinion of a veterinarian or animal health technician is not reasonably obtainable, the Officer may act on his or her own opinion.
D. All expenses incurred with the enforcement of the provisions of this Section shall be borne by the owner or custodian of the dog or cat.
(Ord. MC-833, 5-19-92)