[R.O. 2009 § 6.24.010; Ord. No.
4126 § 8(A), 1980]
Every animal exposed to rabies shall be immediately confined
by the owner who shall immediately notify a Public Safety Officer,
City employee or Humane Officer of the animal's exposure. The owner
shall immediately upon request surrender such animal to any Public
Safety Officer or Humane Officer for confinement in a licensed veterinary
hospital of the owner's choice in the local vicinity of Sikeston,
Missouri, or surrender such animal for confinement in a City designated
animal shelter. The animal shall be confined for a minimum period
of ten (10) days. All costs of confinement shall be paid by the owner.
[R.O. 2009 § 6.24.020; Ord. No.
4126 § 8(B), 1980]
No persons shall kill a known or suspected rabid animal or an
animal exposed to rabies nor remove such an animal from the City limits
without permission of the Director of Public Works or his/her designee,
except when it is necessary to kill such animal to prevent its escape
or attack of any person or animal.
[R.O. 2009 § 6.24.030]
The location of the remains of any dead animal known or suspected
to have been exposed to rabies prior to death shall be reported to
the Director of Public Works, Animal Control Officer or designee of
the City and the remains shall be surrendered to the humane society
for laboratory examination.
[R.O. 2009 § 6.24.040]
Any animal that has been bitten or scratched by another animal
that is known to be or suspected of being rabid or any animal that
is known to be or suspected of being rabid and which shall have bitten
or scratched a person or another animal shall immediately be confined
in such a place as may be directed by the City Manager or his/her
designee who shall have authority to promulgate rules and regulations
concerning the confinement of such animals. If any such animal that
has been thus scratched or bitten or which has scratched or bitten
any other animal or any person is diagnosed as being rabid or evidences
symptoms of rabies, such animal shall be maintained in isolated confinement
for observation for such period of time as shall be ordered by a licensed
veterinarian who shall have examined the animal at the direction of
the City Manager. Following the observation period aforesaid, the
confined animal shall either be released or destroyed, upon advice
of the veterinarian, in which event, the carcass of any such destroyed
animal shall be dealt with as directed by the examining veterinarian.
[R.O. 2009 § 6.24.045; Ord. No.
5527 §II, 1-6-2003]
Any dog or cat, which bites, injures or attacks any person,
shall be placed under observation for a ten (10) day period immediately
following the bite. A vaccinated animal shall be taken up and impounded
at a veterinarian of the owner's choice or securely confined by the
owner for a period of ten (10) days from date of bite, at the discretion
of the responding officer. If, within such period of ten (10) days,
such animal does not develop or manifest signs of rabies, it may be
redeemed by the owner upon the payment of a daily boarding fee or
the payment of usual and customary fees to the contractual animal
shelter or pound or the veterinarian of the owner's choice. If such
animal is not redeemed at the end of such ten (10) day period, it
shall be humanely euthanized or released to the humane society. If
such animal does develop signs of rabies, it shall be the duty of
the Animal Control Officer to cause such animal to be examined by
a licensed veterinarian. If such dog or cat exhibiting symptoms or
manifestations of being infected with rabies is confirmed by a licensed
veterinarian, then such dog or cat shall be humanely euthanized and
submitted for rabies laboratory diagnosis. Any other warm-blooded
animal in which rabies is suspected, which bites, injures or attacks
any person, may, upon the order of the court of competent jurisdiction,
be impounded and humanely euthanized; and the brain and/or other structures
submitted for rabies diagnosis.
[R.O. 2009 § 6.24.050; Ord. No.
4126 § 8(E), 1980]
The City Manager or his/her designee shall have the authority
to immediately destroy any animal which is determined to have bitten
or scratched a human, if it has been determined that destruction of
such animal is necessary. To determine whether such animal is rabid,
the City Manager shall have the authority to promulgate rules and
regulations concerning the handling and disposition of such animals.
