[Ord. of 7-11-1968, § 9]
It shall be the duty of every physician or other medical practitioner
to report to the animal control officer the name and address of every
person treated for bites inflicted by an animal, together with such
other information as will be helpful in rabies control.
[Ord. of 7-11-1968, § 8]
(a)
Every animal that bites a person shall be promptly reported to the
animal control officer and shall thereupon be securely quarantined
at the direction of the animal control officer for a period of 14
days and shall not be released from such quarantine except by written
permission of the animal control officer. At the discretion of the
animal control officer, such quarantine may be on the premises of
the owner, at the shelter designated as the dog pound or, at the owner's
option and expense, in a veterinary hospital of his choice. For stray
animals or for animals whose ownership is not known, such quarantine
shall be at the shelter designated by the animal control officer.
(b)
The owner, upon demand by the animal control officer, shall forthwith surrender any animal that has bitten a human or that is suspected as having been exposed to rabies, for supervised quarantine, the expense of which shall be borne by the owner. The animal may be reclaimed by the owner if it is adjudged free of rabies upon payment of fees set forth in § 4-70.
(c)
When rabies has been diagnosed in an animal under quarantine or when
rabies is suspected by a licensed veterinarian and the animal dies
while under such observation, the animal control officer shall immediately
send the head of such animal to the state health department for pathological
examination and shall notify the proper public health officer of reports
of human contacts and the diagnosis.
(d)
When one or both reports indicate a positive diagnosis of rabies,
the animal control officer shall recommend an area-wide quarantine
for a period of 90 days. Upon invoking such emergency quarantine,
no animal shall be taken into the streets or permitted to be in the
streets during such period of quarantine. During such quarantine,
no animal may be taken or shipped from the Town without written permission
of the animal control officer. During this quarantine period and as
long afterward as he decides it is necessary to prevent the spread
of rabies, the health officer shall require all dogs three months
of age and older to be vaccinated against rabies with a canine rabies
vaccine approved by the biologics control section of the U.S. Department
of Agriculture. The types of approved canine antirabies vaccine to
be used and the recognized duration of immunity for each shall be
established by the health officer. All vaccinated dogs shall be restricted
by leashing or confinement on an enclosed premises, for 30 days after
vaccination. During the quarantine period, the health officer shall
be empowered to provide for a program of mass immunization by the
establishment of temporary emergency canine rabies vaccination clinics
strategically located throughout the Town. No dog that has been impounded
because of its being a stray, unclaimed by its owner, is allowed to
be claimed during the period of the rabies emergency quarantine, except
by special authorization of the health officer and the animal control
officer.
(e)
A dog bitten by a known rabid animal shall be immediately destroyed.
If the owner is unwilling to destroy the exposed dog, strict isolation
of the dog in a kennel for six months shall be enforced. If the dog
has been previously vaccinated within time limits established by the
health officer based on the kind of vaccine used, revaccination and
restraint, by leashing and confinement for 30 days, shall be carried
out.
(f)
If there are additional positive cases of rabies occurring during
the period of the quarantine, such period of quarantine may be extended
for an additional six months.
(g)
No person shall kill or cause to be killed any rabid animal, any
animal suspected of having been exposed to rabies or any animal biting
a human, except as provided in this section, nor shall any person
remove the animal from the Town limits without written permission
from the animal control officer.
(h)
The carcass of any dead animal exposed to rabies shall upon demand
be surrendered to the animal control officer.
(i)
The animal control officer shall direct the disposition of any animal
found to be infected with rabies.
(j)
No person shall fail or refuse to surrender any animal for quarantine
or destruction as required in this section when demand is made therefor
by the animal control officer.
[Ord. of 7-11-1968, § 10]
It shall be the duty of every licensed veterinarian to report
to the animal control officer any animal considered by him to be a
rabies suspect.
[Ord. of 7-11-1968, § 11]
(a)
Hospitals, clinics and other premises operated by licensed veterinarians
for the care and treatment of animals are exempt from the provisions
of this division, except where expressly stated.
(b)
The licensing and vaccination requirements of this division shall
not apply to any dog belonging to a nonresident of the Town and kept
within the Town for not longer than 30 days, provided all such dogs
shall at all times while in the Town be kept within a building, enclosure
or vehicle or be under restraint by the owner.
