[Adopted 4-24-2001 by L.L. No. 4-2001]
Rabies is a viral disease that is fatal in humans unless an
exposed person undergoes expensive treatment, and most exposure of
humans to rabies is caused by bites of domestic animals. At the present
time there is no state requirement to immunize ferrets, which are
becoming more common as pets, and some dog and cat owners refuse to
comply with the state law requiring immunization against rabies, and
the Cayuga County Board of Health has experienced significant difficulty
in enforcing the immunization requirement because of the weakness
of state law on this point. Therefore, this County Legislature hereby
determines that it is necessary to strengthen the immunization requirement.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General
Provisions, Art. I)]
Unless a dog, cat or ferret owner qualifies under one of the exceptions set forth in §
125-3 of this article set forth hereafter, any dog, cat or ferret owner who is a resident of Cayuga County who willfully fails or refuses to submit a dog, cat or ferret four months of age or over immediately for vaccination against rabies upon request by a dog control officer, a peace officer, police officer or health officer shall be guilty of a violation and shall be subject to a maximum fine of not more than $250. In the case of a second or subsequent violation within a three-year period, in addition to the $250 fine for each violation, the defendant may be given up to 15 days in jail.
This article shall not apply to:
A. A confined animal owned by a nonresident while passing through the
County.
B. An animal brought into the County for a period not exceeding 10 days,
if entered in a bona fide show and if confined and in the immediate
charge of the exhibitor.
C. An animal actually confined to the premises of an incorporated society
devoted to the care or hospital treatment of lost, strayed or homeless
animals or confined to the premises of a hospital devoted to the treatment
of sick animals or confined for the purpose of research to the premises
of an educational or research institution.
D. An animal actually confined to the premises of a person, firm or
corporation actually engaged in the business of breeding or raising
animals for profit and licensed as a Class A dealer under the Federal
Laboratory Animal Welfare Act.
E. Animals
for which the owner provides a statement certified by a licensed veterinarian
stating that because of old age or another reason the life of the
animal would be endangered by the administration of vaccine.
[Added at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions,
Art. I)]