A.
It shall be the duty of every resident of the Town
owning or possessing a dog or cat to have the animal inoculated with
an anti-rabies vaccine by a licensed veterinarian. The expense of
inoculation shall be borne by the owner.
B.
Nonresidents of the Town possessing a dog or cat within
the Town for more than seven days shall have the animal inoculated
with an anti-rabies vaccine unless such nonresident is able to produce
a certificate of vaccination from a licensed veterinarian for the
animal.
A.
Whenever it has been reported that a dog or cat has
bitten any person, the animal shall be confined at a place selected
by the Health Officer, and placed under the observation of a veterinarian,
at the owner's expense for a period of 10 days, to determine whether
the animal has rabies. The veterinarian shall make at least two examinations
of the dog or cat, the first at the time the animal is placed under
his care, and the second within the next 10 days thereafter.
B.
The owner of such dog or cat, at the end of the examination
period, shall present to the Health Officer, on forms furnished by
the Health Officer, the findings of the veterinarian. The form shall
be signed by the veterinarian.
C.
If the dog or cat is found to be suffering from rabies,
it shall be destroyed forthwith. If the owner of the animal which
has bitten or mutilated any person refused to surrender it, the Health
Officer or his agents may lawfully enter upon any premises where the
dog or cat is located and may seize and impound the animal for the
purposes of this section.
Either the police, Health Officer, or the Animal
Control Officer or their designees shall be permitted by the owner
or person in charge of an animal which has attacked or bitten a person
to examine the animal at any reasonable time, and daily if desired,
within a period of 10 days after the animal has attacked or bitten
a person, to determine whether the animal shows symptoms of rabies.
A.
Every physician shall, within 12 hours after his first
professional attendance upon any person bitten by a dog or other animal,
report to the police officer or Animal Control Officer the name, age,
sex and precise location of the person so bitten.
B.
When a physician is not in attendance of person bitten
by an animal, then any person in charge of or in control of or responsible
for the person bitten shall report the incident to the police, Health
Officer, or Animal Control Officer and provide the same information
as set out in this section.
Whenever either the police, Health Officer,
or Animal Control Officer has reason to believe that there is danger
that rabies may spread within the Town, such officials shall serve
a notice in writing upon all persons owning or having charge of any
animal requiring such person to confine such animal or having charge
of any animal requiring such person to confine such animal or, the
above authorities, in lieu of serving such notice in writing, may
cause a notice to be published in a newspaper which circulates within
the Town. Other animals may be included in the order whenever, in
the opinion of the officials, such is necessary. When ever the State
Department of Health has knowledge that any case of rabies exists
among dogs, cats, or other domestic animals within the state, and
in its judgment the disease is liable to spread, the Department may
issue an order requiring either the police, Health Officer, or Dog
Catcher to order animals confined as provided in this section, and
to cause the enforcement of these provisions by appropriate proceeding
either in law or equity.
