It is the duty of any person having knowledge of the whereabouts of an animal known to have or suspected of having rabies to report the fact immediately to the health officer. If such person is the owner or possessor or has custody of such animal, he shall immediately confine it and keep the animal strictly confined until it shall be established to the satisfaction of said official that such animal has or has not rabies.
Where such owner or possessor does not have the proper facility for such confinement, or where the owner of such rabid or suspected rabid animal is not known, such animal shall be isolated in strict confinement under proper care and under the conservation of a licensed veterinarian in a pound, veterinary hospital, or other adequate facility in a manner approved by the county health officer, and shall not be killed or released for at least ten days after the onset of symptoms suggestive of rabies. If such animal creates a menace to the public health and safety, the health officer or his representative may kill or destroy the animal forthwith and examine it for rabies in the laboratory using the fluorescent rabies antibody (FRA) test in the county health department laboratory.
Whenever any such owned biting animal is quarantined in a place other than the premises of its owner, all expenses incurred in its confinement shall be the liability of the owner, possessor or custodian of such biting animal. (Ord. 163 § 8(C), 1997)