[CC 1984 § 38.300; Ord. No. 2003-100, 1-1-2003]
A. 
Every person who owns any dog or cat that is kept any time during the year within the City or who permits a dog or cat to come upon, on or in the City or to remain in or about his home, place of business or other premises in the City, shall have such dog or cat vaccinated against rabies and registered. Such dogs or cats shall have a current rabies vaccination.
B. 
It shall be unlawful for any person to own any dog or cat, unless such dog or cat has been vaccinated against rabies and wears a current registration tag. The owner shall possess a certificate issued in accordance with the provisions of the County Rabies Control Code.
[CC 1984 § 38.310; Ord. No. 2003-100, 1-1-2003]
Every dog or cat which has been vaccinated in accordance with the provisions of the City Code shall at all times wear the registration tag in the manner prescribed in such Code.
[CC 1984 § 38.340; Ord. No. 2003-100, 1-1-2003]
Any person within the City having information or knowledge of any animal within the City that exhibits clinical symptoms suggestive of rabies, has been exposed to rabies or is suspected of having rabies, shall report such knowledge or information to the County Health Department and the Sheriff's Department or the City or its designated official.
[CC 1984 § 38.350; Ord. No. 2003-100, 1-1-2003]
A. 
Any dog, cat or other animal which exhibits objective symptoms suggestive of rabies may, after written certification to the owner by the Health Commissioner or such other person designated by the Board for the enforcement of this Article, be impounded on or off the property of the owner. This animal shall be held for ten (10) days for clinical observation at the impounding facilities designated by the Board and, if alive at the termination of this period, shall be returned to the owner after payment of the shelter service fee by the owner. As an alternative procedure, the owner, at his own expense, may designate any veterinary hospital in the County wherein such animal shall be impounded and observed for a similar ten-day period. If such animal shall die during the observation period, regardless of location, the head shall be removed and submitted to a qualified laboratory for examination.
B. 
Any dog, cat or other animal, which has been exposed to rabies, shall be immediately destroyed unless the owner, at his expense, desires, chooses, specifies, picks or elects one of the following alternative methods:
1. 
Strict isolation in a kennel or animal hospital for six (6) months;
2. 
If the dog or cat does not have a current rabies vaccination, the dog or cat shall be placed on a schedule of immunization approved by the Health Commissioner;
3. 
Prior to release of any dog or cat under clinical observation for rabies, all conditions of this Article shall be fulfilled.
[CC 1984 § 38.360; Ord. No. 2003-100, 1-1-2003]
A. 
The Health Commissioner or person designated by him or such other person as may be designated by the Board shall dispose of any dog or cat or other animal infected with rabies. Such person so designated shall have the power to examine and impound any animal bitten by or exposed to any other animal infected with rabies. He shall have the power to require the owners of such dogs or cats to take such necessary measures to prevent further spread of rabies and to dispose of any exposed animal, if such necessary measures are not taken by the owners.
B. 
Any person destroying an animal infected with rabies or suspected of being infected with rabies shall immediately notify the County Health Department and the Sheriff's Department or the City or its designated official. Such person shall surrender the carcass of such animal upon demand. The owner or custodian of any such destroyed animal shall immediately provide the County Health Department and the Sheriff's Department or the City or its designated official with full particulars thereof, including the time, date, location, the name and address of the owner or person having custody of any animal exposed to the animal destroyed.
Whenever rabies becomes prevalent in the City, the Mayor shall, according to the necessity of the case, issue a quarantine order, requiring every owner or person in charge of any dog or dogs within the limits of the City, to either kill or impound his/her dog or dogs, or to have such dog or dogs immunized. Said order shall be published once in the paper officially publishing the business of the City; and in the absence of such paper, shall be posted as in case of sales of personal property. The Mayor is authorized by proclamation, to terminate any such quarantine whenever, in his/her judgment, the necessity for it no longer exists.
[CC 1984 § 38.380; Ord. No. 2003-100, 1-1-2003]
It shall be unlawful for any person to conceal an animal or interfere with the Health Commissioner, persons designated by him or such other persons who may be designated by the Board in the performance of their legal duties, as provided by this Article. The County Health Commissioner, persons designated by him or such other persons who may be designated by the Board shall have the right of entry onto any unenclosed lots or lands for the purpose of collecting any dog, cat or other animal which is on such lot or land in violation of this Article and whose presence on such lot or land constitutes a violation of any of the provisions of this Article. The County Health Commissioner, his duly appointed representative or any other person who may be designated by the Board, shall have the right of entry to any property or premises during the period of quarantine for the purpose of examining or obtaining any dog, cat or other animal suspected of having rabies, having been exposed to rabies or having bitten a person or other animal. The use of humane traps by such persons for the capture of any cats or kittens is hereby authorized.
[CC 1984 § 38.390; Ord. No. 2003-100, 1-1-2003]
No person shall refuse to deliver up to the County Health Commissioner or any person designated by the Board a dog or cat or other animal subject to rabies, which such person owns, when requested to do so under the provisions of this Article.