[Ord. of 12-10-2001; amended by Ord. No.
2005-4, 2-28-2005; 2-22-2010]
(a)
It shall be unlawful for any person to own, keep, hold, board or
harbor any adult dog or cat within the City, unless such dog or cat
shall have been vaccinated by a currently licensed veterinarian or
currently licensed veterinary technician who is under the immediate
supervision of a licensed veterinarian on the premises. The vaccine
used shall be licensed by the United States Department of Agriculture
for use in that species and shall be up-to-date and still effective
in accordance with such license.
(b)
Any person bringing a dog or cat into the City from some other jurisdiction
shall be required to comply with the provisions of this section within
15 days subsequent to bringing such dog or cat into the City.
(c)
When a dog or cat is vaccinated or inoculated as required by this
section, the veterinarian shall issue a certificate of rabies vaccination
or inoculation, properly executed and signed by the veterinarian,
certifying that the dog or cat in question has been properly vaccinated
or inoculated. Such certificate shall show the date of inoculation,
the rabies tag number, the sex and breed of the dog or cat, the amount
and kind of vaccine injection, the method of injection, the weight,
color and markings of dog or cat and the name of the owner thereof.
No person shall present to the Treasurer or any officer of the City
such a certificate for a dog or cat other than that for which it was
issued.
[Ord. of 12-10-2001]
Every person having knowledge of the existence of an animal
apparently afflicted with rabies shall report immediately to the animal
control officer or the City health department the existence of such
animal, the place where seen, the owner's name, if known, and the
symptoms suggesting rabies.
[Ord. of 12-10-2001]
(a)
Any dog or cat found within the City showing active signs of rabies
or suspected of having rabies shall be forthwith taken into custody
by the animal control officer or other officer and confined under
competent observation for such time as may be necessary to determine
a diagnosis. If confinement is impossible or impracticable, such dog
or cat shall be destroyed.
(b)
If it is determined that a dog or cat confined under this section has rabies, it shall forthwith be destroyed and the owner shall pay the sum of $10 for the first 24 hours, or fraction thereof, that the dog was confined, plus $5 for each additional day, or fraction thereof, of confinement. Should such dog or cat be found not to have rabies, it shall be released to the owner, without charge; provided that, if the dog or cat was at large in violation of § 5-24 at the time it was taken into custody, the owner or custodian shall pay the charges prescribed in that section.
(c)
If it is determined that a dog or cat confined under this section does not have rabies, and if the dog or cat is not claimed by its owner within five days after notice of such determination, the dog or cat may be disposed of in the same manner as dogs or cats impounded for running at large under § 5-24.
[Ord. of 12-10-2001]
Any dog or cat bitten by an animal believed to be afflicted
with rabies shall be destroyed immediately or confined in a pound,
kennel or enclosure approved by the state health department for a
period not to exceed six months, at the expense of the owner of such
dog or cat. If the bitten dog or cat has been vaccinated against rabies
within one year, the dog or cat shall be revaccinated and confined
to the premises of its owner for 30 days.
[Ord. of 12-10-2001]
At the discretion of the director of the City health department,
any animal which has bitten a person shall be confined under competent
observation for 10 days, unless the animal develops active symptoms
of rabies or expires before that time; provided, that a seriously
injured or sick animal may be humanely euthanized and its head sent
to the state health department for evaluation.
[Ord. of 12-10-2001]
It shall be unlawful for any person to conceal or harbor any
dog, cat or other animal to keep the same from being destroyed or
confined in accord with this article.
