A. Any dog that bites a person within the city limits shall be reported to animal control. The owner of the dog shall place the dog in the care of a veterinarian.
B. Within twenty four (24) hours, the dog will be placed under the care of a veterinarian. Failure to do so will constitute a violation of this article.
C. The owner may elect at his/her own expense to have the animal euthanized by a licensed veterinary doctor and tested by the Oklahoma City health department for rabies. Once the testing is completed, the owner must supply a copy of the health department report to the city animal shelter.
D. The veterinarian shall impound the dog for care and observation for a period of ten (10) days from the date of the bite.
E. When a dog under observation has been diagnosed as being rabid or suspected by a veterinarian as being rabid and dies while under observation, the veterinarian shall immediately send the dog to the Oklahoma City health department for rabies testing and notify the animal shelter of the test results.
F. It shall be a violation of this article for any person to release any dog held for observation to any person prior to completion of the period of observation.
G. The person to whom the dog is released shall have proof prior to release that the dog does not have rabies and that the dog has been properly vaccinated against rabies.
H. If ownership of a dog that bites a person within the city limits cannot be verified, the dog shall be impounded for twenty four (24) hours and then euthanized and tested by the Oklahoma City health department for rabies. (Ord. 479, 10-9-2012)