A.
It is the duty of all persons owning or keeping a dog or cat over
the age of three months to have such animals vaccinated against rabies.
The initial rabies vaccination shall be given in an amount sufficient
to provide immunity from rabies for one year. Subsequent vaccinations,
provided proof of prior rabies vaccination is provided, can be administered
with a three-year vaccine. A certificate from a licensed veterinarian
shall be evidence of vaccination and type. The Director may require
other animals to receive rabies vaccinations. All antirabies vaccine
shall be administered by or under the supervision of a licensed veterinarian,
who shall issue a serially numbered certificate and tag for each such
administration.
B.
The veterinarian administering antirabies vaccine to any animal shall
issue to the owner or keeper of the animal a numbered vaccination
certificate. The certificate shall contain the name and address of
the owner or keeper of the animal, a description of the animal vaccinated,
the date of the vaccination and the expiration date of the period
of immunity.
C.
It is unlawful for the owner or keeper of any dog or cat to fail
to exhibit its certificate of vaccination upon demand by the Director
or by the Animal Control Officer.
An animal that has rabies or shows signs of having rabies and
every animal bitten by another afflicted with rabies or that has been
exposed to rabies shall be confined at once in a secure place by the
owner. A person who knows or who has reason to know that an animal
is infected with rabies or has been exposed to rabies shall, immediately
upon learning of the infection, notify the animal control center and
the State Health and Environment Department as to the place where
the animal is confined and shall surrender said animal to the animal
control center upon demand. The animal control center shall then deal
with the rabid animal pursuant to state law.
A.
The owner of an animal that bites a person, and a person bitten by
an animal, shall report that occurrence to the animal control center
and to the District Health Officer of the State Health and Environment
Department within 24 hours. The owner of an animal that bites a person
shall surrender said animal to the animal control center if the Director
deems it necessary to impound said animal for a period of observation.
B.
A physician who renders professional treatment to a person bitten
by an animal shall report that fact to the animal control center and
to the District Health Officer of the State Health and Environment
Department within 24 hours of his first professional attendance. The
physician shall report the name, sex and address of the person bitten,
as well as the type and location of the bite. The physician shall
give the name and address of the owner of the animal that inflicted
the bite, if known, and any other facts or details that may assist
the Director in ascertaining the immunization status of the animal.
C.
An animal that bites a person shall be confined securely at a place
and for a period of time deemed necessary by the Director. The owner
of the animal shall bear the cost of confinement. The Director may
consent to confinement on the owner's premises but only if the animal
had current rabies vaccination at the time the bite was inflicted.
The premises where the home confinement is to occur shall be inspected
and approved for such purposes by an Animal Control Officer. The owner
of the animal shall be required to enter into an indemnity agreement
on a form approved and prescribed by the Director before consent may
be given for such home confinement.
D.
A person who has custody of an animal that has bitten a person shall
immediately notify the Director if the animal shows any signs of sickness,
abnormal behavior, of if the animal escapes confinement. If the animal
dies while it is in confinement, the person having custody of the
animal shall notify the Director or an Animal Control Officer and
relinquish any claims to said animal.
A.
It is unlawful to permit dogs in the streets or public places unless
on a secure leash not exceeding eight feet in length and under the
immediate physical control of the person having custody thereof. No
dog, cat or other member of the canine or feline families is allowed
upon a public playground or on the premises of a public swimming pool
or upon a school yard.
B.
The above provisions do not apply when such an animal is in a bona
fide animal show or training program authorized by law or appropriate
school authority.
A.
Any person owning, possessing or harboring any dog three months of age or over shall obtain a license for such animal. Licenses may be obtained from the animal control center. A current rabies vaccination certificate shall be presented at the time of the application for license. The license shall expire one year from the date of issue and shall be renewed annually. The fees for new licenses, replacement tags, and overdue renewals are specified in Chapter 171.
[Amended 7-11-2019 by Ord. No. 2019-03]
B.
A current license tag shall be affixed to the licensed dog at all
times in a reasonable manner, unless the licensed dog is being kept
in an approved kennel, veterinary hospital, grooming parlor, is appearing
in an approved show or is being trained; provided that the person
who is training a dog shall have in his personal possession the valid
license tag for each dog and shall immediately display such upon request
by an Animal Control Officer, animal shelter personnel or other law
enforcement officers.
C.
Animals belonging to nonresidents who do not keep said animals within
the corporate limits of the City for 30 consecutive days shall be
exempt from this section; provided, however, that all the other provisions
of this chapter must be complied with.
D.
The license fees shall not apply to guide or hearing ear aid dogs
trained to assist and in fact used to assist the disabled, or to any
police dog.
A.
No person shall own or harbor within the City of Española any dog or cat over the age of six months which has not been spayed or neutered, unless that person obtains from the Animal Control Department a permit to keep an unaltered dog or cat as specified in Chapter 171.
[Amended 7-11-2019 by Ord. No. 2019-03]
B.
Proof of neutering, if not apparent upon visual inspection, may be
made by certificate or receipt from a licensed veterinarian, or by
affidavit of the animal's owner.
