Township of Haverford, PA Article V Rabies Control

§ 49-16 Vaccination required; certificate of rabies vaccination; booster vaccinations; kennel owners; vaccination records.

A. It shall be the duty of each owner of an animal in Haverford Township to arrange for vaccination of his or her animal by or under the supervision of a licensed veterinarian. Young animals shall be vaccinated after reaching three months of age. Such animals shall be vaccinated following enactment of this article as promptly as possible with the specific vaccine for a particular type of animal, using the specific vaccine licensed by the United States Department of Agriculture. Unvaccinated animals over three months of age acquired or moved into Haverford Township shall be vaccinated immediately after purchase or arrival or, if under three months of age, shall be vaccinated immediately after reaching three months of age.

B. It shall be the duty of the owner of each unvaccinated animal over three months of age temporarily brought into Haverford Township for any purpose, to arrange for vaccination against rabies immediately upon the first entry at any point in Delaware County.

C. Certificates of rabies vaccination.

(1) It shall be the duty of each veterinarian at the time of vaccinating any animal to complete a certificate of rabies vaccination, in triplicate, supplied by the veterinarian, which includes the following:

(a) Owner's name and address.

(b) Description of the animal, including breed, sex, age and name.

(c) Date of vaccination.

(d) Rabies vaccination tag number.

(e) Type of vaccine administered.

(f) Manufacturer's serial number of vaccine.

(g) Due date for revaccination.

(2) The original certificate of rabies vaccination shall be delivered to the Township Health Officer in the Haverford Township Department of Codes Enforcement, with the first copy to the owner and the second copy to be retained by the issuing veterinarian. The veterinarian shall furnish, together with a copy of the certificate to the owner, a metal or durable plastic tag stating the date of vaccination, tag number and veterinarian's name. A vaccination tag shall be affixed to the collar or harness and shall be worn by the animal.

D. Booster vaccinations. Animals under one year of age must receive a booster vaccination one year after the original inoculation, then at least every three years thereafter. Animals older than one year must have boosters at least every three years after the original vaccination.

E. Kennel owners. State licensed kennel owners may administer rabies vaccine to animals they own if they are certified as qualified to do so by the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture. Until they are certified, kennel owners must have their animals inoculated by or under the supervision of a licensed veterinarian.

F. Vaccination records. Information from rabies vaccination records cannot be used to license animals or to tax individuals owning animals.

§ 49-17 Procedure for confinement and examination of animals having bitten or injured any person.

A. It shall be the duty of any person having knowledge that an animal has bitten or injured any person in Haverford Township to immediately report the facts, including the whereabouts of said animal, if known, to the Animal Control Officer.

B. It shall be the duty of the owner of any animal in this municipality that is currently vaccinated in accordance with prescribed requirements which has bitten or injured any person to follow the procedure set forth below:

(1) The animal shall be confined by the owner for an observation period of 10 days from the date the bite or injury occurred, at the home of the owner or at some other location acceptable to the Animal Control Officer and in such manner as will prevent it from escaping or running at large.

(2) At the end of said ten-day observation period, the animal shall be examined by a veterinarian employed by the owner, and a written report of the results of such examination shall be submitted to the Animal Control Officer and Township Health Officer by the owner within 24 hours. If the report reveals no symptoms indicative of rabies, the animal may then be released from confinement.

(3) If at any time during said ten-day observation period the animal develops symptoms indicative of rabies, such fact shall be communicated at once to the Pennsylvania Department of Health and the animal shall immediately be removed by a veterinary hospital acceptable to the Animal Control Officer and Township Health Officer.

(4) If at any time during said ten-day observation period the animal should die, the owner shall immediately deliver to the Township Health Officer in the Department Codes Enforcement the head of the animal for examination.

C. If the records of a veterinarian or Pennsylvania Department of Health disclose any occurrence of rabies in this municipality or in adjacent municipalities within 100 days prior to the receipt of the report of biting or injuring, it shall be the duty of the owner of any unvaccinated animal in this municipality which has bitten or injured any person to follow the procedure set forth below:

(1) The animal shall be removed to and confined by the owner in a veterinary hospital for an observation period of 10 days from the date the bite or injury occurred. The owner or the hospital shall submit the receipt for the animal to the Animal Control Officer and Haverford Township Health Officer on the same day that it is placed in the hospital.

(2) Immediately upon being placed in the hospital, the animal shall be examined by a veterinarian employed by the owner. A written report of the results of such examination shall be submitted to the Animal Control Officer and Health Officer by the owner within 24 hours.

(3) If at any time during said ten-day observation period the animal develops symptoms indicative of rabies, such fact shall be communicated at once to the Pennsylvania Department of Health by the veterinarian.

(4) If at any time during said ten-day observation period the animal should die, the veterinarian shall immediately notify the Township Health Officer and shall submit to the Township Health Officer the head of the animal for examination.

(5) At the end of said ten-day observation period, the animal shall again be examined by a veterinarian employed by the owner, and a written report of the results of such examination shall be submitted to the Township Health Officer by the owner within 24 hours. If the second report reveals no symptoms indicative of rabies, the owner may obtain from the Township Health Officer the hospital receipt for the animal, and it may then be released from confinement after being vaccinated.

§ 49-18 Procedure for confinement of animals bitten or exposed to rabies.

A. It shall be the duty of any person who has knowledge that an animal in Haverford Township has been bitten by or has otherwise been exposed to another animal infected or suspected of being infected with rabies to report the facts immediately, including the whereabouts of said animal, if known, to the Animal Control Officer.

B. If the animal which was bitten, injured, exposed or suspected of being exposed to rabies has not been currently vaccinated against rabies in accordance with prescribed requirements, said deemed unvaccinated animal shall be destroyed immediately. If the owner is unwilling to have this done, the unvaccinated animal shall be placed in strict isolation at a veterinary hospital under the supervision of a veterinarian for an observation period of six months. Said animal shall be vaccinated against rabies at the end of the fifth month and shall be reexamined by the veterinarian at the end of the observation period, and a written report shall be submitted by the owner within 24 hours to the Township Health Officer. If the reexamination reveals no symptoms of rabies, the animal then may be released from confinement.

C. If the animal which was bitten, injured or otherwise exposed or suspected of being exposed to rabies has been currently vaccinated against rabies in accordance with prescribed requirements, said deemed vaccinated animal shall be revaccinated immediately against rabies and shall be kept by the owner for an observation period of 90 days from the date the bite occurred at the home of the owner or other location acceptable to the Animal Control Officer. During the observation period said animal must be confined in such a manner as to prevent it from escaping and/or running at large. Additional requirements concerning the ninety-day observation period and confinement are as follows:

(1) At the end of said observation period, the animal shall be examined by a veterinarian employed by the owner, and a written report of the results of such examination shall be submitted to the Township Health Officer by the owner within 24 hours. If the report reveals no symptoms indicative of rabies, the animal may then be released from confinement.

(2) If at any time during said observation period the animal develops symptoms indicative of rabies, such facts shall be communicated at once to the Township Health Officer, and the animal shall immediately be removed to a veterinary hospital acceptable to the Township Health Officer.

(3) If at any time during said observation period the animal should die, the owner shall immediately submit to the Township Health Officer the head of the animal for examination.

§ 49-19 Procedure for animals infected or suspected of being infected with rabies.

It shall be the duty of any person who has knowledge that an animal in Haverford Township is infected with or suspected of being infected with rabies to report the facts immediately, including the whereabouts of said animal, if known, to the Animal Control Officer. Any animal suspected of being infected with rabies shall be removed by the owner and confined immediately in a veterinary hospital or other approved location, and said animal shall not be released therefrom without permission of the Township Health Officer. Any animal infected with rabies shall be disposed of as directed by the Township Health Officer.

§ 49-20 Payment of costs by owner.

Costs of examination, vaccination, impounding and preparation of an animal for laboratory analysis shall be borne by the owner of said animal.