(a) In case a quarantine is established upon rabies immunized biting dogs, ferrets, cats, or other animals by reason of the fact that rabies is declared to be prevalent by an order of the Health Commissioner, or his designee, the Health Official shall have the discretion to determine where such animal may be quarantined, but as a general rule such animal shall be quarantined at the residence of the owner or harborer, or at a pound designated by the Health Official, at the expense of the owner or harborer, in such manner as the Health Official, in his or her discretion, shall determine.
(1) Any unvaccinated biting dog, ferret, cat, or other animal which has not been immunized with rabies vaccine, and which is exposed to a proved or suspected rabid animal, shall be immediately euthanized under orders of the Health Official; and
(2) The head of the biting dog, ferret, cat, or other animal shall be submitted to the Ohio Department of Health laboratories for rabies examination.
(b) The quarantine period hereby required for biting dogs and cats shall not be less than ten (10) days from the date on which the person was bitten. If at any time during the quarantine the animal exhibits signs of illness, dies or escapes from quarantine, the animal's owner or harborer shall immediately notify the Health District.
(1) The quarantine period hereby required for biting ferrets shall be not less than fourteen (14) days from the date on which the person was bitten, but can be for a longer period which shall be at the discretion of the Health Official.
(c) No dog or cat shall be released from the required quarantine until it has been examined by a veterinarian, properly vaccinated against rabies, and written proof of such vaccination is presented to the Health District.
(1) The veterinarian shall report to the Health District the conclusions reached as a result of the examination. The examination shall be at the expense of the owner or harborer.
(2) No person or harborer shall remove a quarantined dog or cat from the Health District until such quarantine period has been completed. Likewise, no person shall transfer a quarantined dog or cat within the Health District until such quarantine period has been completed except that a person or harborer may transfer the dog or cat to its veterinarian, or to the Trumbull County Animal Shelter, or to any other animal control facility.
(d) No person shall kill a quarantined dog, ferret, or cat until such quarantine period has been completed, except that this prohibition shall not apply to the killing of a dog or cat to prevent further injury or death if such animal is diseased or seriously injured.
(e) If, for whatever reason, any quarantined dog or cat dies before the expiration of the quarantine period, the owner or harborer, or person having control of such animal, shall immediately notify the Health District of the facts relating to the death of the animal and shall hold the body of the animal until the Health District claims it to perform tests for rabies.
(1) If any quarantined dog, ferret, or cat dies before the quarantine period expires, the head of the animal shall be submitted to the Ohio Department of Health laboratories for rabies examination.
(f) Any dog or cat that is currently immunized against rabies and which is exposed to a proven or suspected rabid animal shall receive an immediate booster dose of rabies vaccine from a veterinarian and be quarantined for forty-five (45) days' observation and confinement.
(1) If symptoms of rabies develop, the animal shall be euthanized and tested, or if the animal dies, it’s head shall be immediately submitted for testing.
(Res.171. Passed 5-28-97.)