Anderson 

Chapter 5.50

RABIES CONTROL

Sections:

5.50.010   Rabies Control

5.50.020  Immunization for Rabies

5.50.030  False Certificates

5.50.040  Report of Bite Cases

5.50.050  Responsibilities of Veterinarians

5.50.010  Rabies Control

            A.  Quarantine.  Every dog or other animals which 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 ten days following the bite.  A quarantined animal shall not be released from the quarantine except by the authorization of the City Council.  In the discretion of the Animal Control Officer, such quarantine may be on the premises of the owner, at the shelter designated as the City animal shelter or, at the owner's option and expense, in a veterinary hospital or licensed boarding kennel of his choice.  In the case of stray animals or of animals whose ownership is not known, such quarantine shall be at the shelter designated as the animal shelter.

            B. Surrender of Animals.  The owner or custodian, upon demand by the Animal Control Officer or the City, shall forthwith surrender any animal which has bitten a human or which is suspected of having been exposed to rabies, for supervised quarantine.  The expense shall be borne by the owner.  The animal must be reclaimed by the owner if determined to be free of rabies and not adjudged vicious, upon payment of board fees set forth in Section 5.40.030 of this title and any medical or actual necessary expenses incurred.

            C.  Rabid Animals.  When any animal under quarantine has been diagnosed as being rabid, the owner and/or the veterinarian shall take such action as he deems necessary to determine the presence or absence of rabies.  Such action may include, but shall not be limited to removal and examination of the head.

            D.  Areawide Quarantine.  When one or both reports give a positive diagnosis of rabies, the City may conduct an areawide quarantine for a period of thirty days.  Upon invocation of such quarantine, no animal shall be taken into the streets, or be permitted to be off the premises of its owner or in the streets during such period.  During such quarantine no animal may be taken or shipped from the City without written permission from the Animal Control Officer.  Any animal found running at large during such quarantine may be killed on sight.

            E.  Destruction of Bitten Animals.  During each period of rabies quarantine as herein mentioned, every animal bitten by an animal adjudged to be rabid shall be destroyed forthwith.

            F.  Extension of Areawide Quarantine.  In the event there are additional positive cases of rabies occurring during the period of quarantine, such period of quarantine may be extended for up to an additional six months.

            G.  Destruction of Rabid Animals.  No person shall kill, or cause to be killed, any rabid animal or any animal biting a human, except in defense of life and limb or otherwise as herein provided, nor remove same from area without permission from the City.

            H.  Surrender of Carcass.  The carcass of any dead animal exposed to rabies shall be surrendered to the City.

            I.  Disposition of Infected Animals.  The City shall direct the disposition of any animal found to be infected with rabies.

            J.  Failure to Surrender Animal.  No person shall fail or refuse to surrender any animal for quarantine or destruction as required herein when demand is made there by the Animal Control Officer or the City.

5.50.020  Immunization for Rabies

            A.  No person shall own, keep or harbor a dog or any other animal requiring rabies immunization over six months of age within the corporate boundaries of the City unless such dog or other animal has received an immunization for rabies in the last twelve months.

            B.  The City Council may provide, once a year, for a qualified person to administer rabies immunization for the dogs of those owners desiring such a service.  Cost of this service shall be borne by the owners using the same, except that any registration not already used or assigned for the regulation of doges, shall first be applied to this expense.

5.50.030  False Certificates.

            A.  It is unlawful for any veterinarian or other person to give, issue or transmit any purported proof or certificate of, or receipt for, rabies immunization not actually given to the animal for which proof, certificate of receipt is given.

            B.  It is unlawful for any person owning or having custody of an animal knowingly to procure, receive, use or attempt to use any purported proof, certificate of or receipt for rabies immunization not actually given to the animal described in the proof, certificate or receipt.

            C.  Any person violating this chapter is guilty of a misdemeanor.

5.50.040  Reports of Bite Cases.  Every physician or other practitioner of medicine shall report to the Animal Control Officer or the City, the names and addresses of persons treated for bites inflicted by animals, together with such other information as will be helpful in rabies control.

5.50.050  Responsibilities of Veterinarians. It shall be the duty of every licensed veterinarian to report to the Animal Control Officer or the City, the names and addresses of persons treated for bites inflicted by animals, together with such other information as will be helpful in rabies control.

(Ord #119 Dec 17, 1987)