(A) When any person owning or harboring a dog, cat or other animal has been notified that said animal has bitten or attacked any person, the owner shall, within 24 hours, place the animal under the care and observation of a law enforcement officer or a licensed veterinarian for a period not less than ten days.
(B) At the end of the ten-day observation period, the animal shall be examined by a licensed veterinarian and, if cleared by the veterinarian, may be reclaimed by the owner upon paying the expenses incident thereto.
(C) Any animal impounded or placed for observation, showing active signs of rabies, suspected of having rabies or known to have been exposed to rabies, shall be confined under competent observation for such time as may be deemed necessary to determine a diagnosis.
(D) No person shall knowingly harbor or keep any animal infected with rabies or any animal known to have been bitten by an animal known to have been infected with rabies.
(E) Any person within the city receiving information or reports of suspected rabies in wild animals or domestic animals shall report such information to a law enforcement officer.
(F) Whenever law enforcement officer or other authorized official shall have determined that there is danger of the existence or spread of rabies in the city, such facts shall be made known to the City Commissioners. The City Commissioners, upon receipt of said facts, may, by proclamation, in the interest of public safety and general welfare of the citizenry, order all animals muzzled when off the premises of the owner. Forty-eight hours after the approval of said proclamation all animals found off the premises of the owner unmuzzled shall be seized and impounded or may be immediately destroyed if all reasonable efforts to seize said animals fail. All animals seized and impounded shall be held for observation as hereinbefore provided for not less than ten days, and if cleared by a licensed veterinarian, may be claimed by the owner upon paying the expenses incidental thereto. Any animal not claimed may be disposed of as hereinbefore provided.
(Prior Code, § 5.0203) Penalty, see § 10.99