A.
It shall be unlawful for any person to own, keep or hold or harbor
any dog or domesticated cat over the age of four months within the
County, unless such dog or cat shall have a current rabies vaccination
administered by a currently licensed veterinarian. The vaccine used
shall be licensed by the United States Department of Agriculture for
use in that species.
B.
Any person transporting a dog or cat into the County from some other
jurisdiction shall conform with this section within 30 days.
C.
At the time of vaccination or inoculation, as required by this section,
a suitable and distinctive rabies tag and a certificate of vaccination
or inoculation, properly executed and signed by a licensed veterinarian,
shall be issued for such dog or cat.
D.
The certificate issued pursuant to Subsection C above shall certify that the dog or cat in question has been vaccinated or inoculated in accordance with this section. Such certificate shall show the date of vaccination or inoculation, the rabies tag number, the date of required immunization, a brief description of the dog or cat, its age, sex and primary breed, whether or not the animal is spayed or neutered, the name and address of the owner, and the locality in which the animal resides.
E.
A certificate issued under this section shall be carefully preserved
by the owner of the dog or cat and exhibited promptly on request for
inspection by the animal control officer or any other law enforcement
officer.
F.
The veterinarian shall forward a copy of the certificate, issued
under this section, or the relevant information contained in the certificate,
to the County Treasurer within 45 days of such vaccination. The veterinarian
shall also retain a copy of the certificate.
State law references: Authority of County to adopt ordinances
to prevent spread of rabies, Code of Virginia, §§ 3.2-6521,
3.2-6525, 3.2-6526, 3.2-6543.
When there is sufficient reason to believe that a rabid animal
is at large, the Board of Supervisors may pass an emergency ordinance
which shall become effective immediately upon passage, requiring owners
of all dogs and cats therein to keep the same confined on their premises
unless leashed under restraint of the owner in such a manner that
persons or animals will not be subject to the danger of being bitten
by the rabid animal. Such ordinance shall be operative up to 30 days
unless renewed by the governing body.
State law references: Similar provisions, Code of Virginia,
§ 3.2-6522.
A.
The owner of a dog or domesticated cat which has exposed a person
to rabies through a bite, or through saliva or central nervous system
tissue, in a fresh open wound or mucous membrane, or any person having
knowledge of any dog or domesticated cat which has so exposed a person
to rabies shall immediately notify the animal control officer, the
Sheriff's department, or the Director of the Health Department. The
animal control officer or Director of the Health Department shall
immediately examine such animal, and in his discretion:
(1)
Confine the dog or cat in a strong enclosure on the owner's premises,
and isolated from all other animals and persons, for a period of 10
days, unless the dog or cat develops active symptoms of rabies; or
(2)
Impound or board the dog or cat, at the owner's expense, with a licensed
kennel or veterinarian hospital, for a period of 10 days, unless the
dog or cat develops active symptoms of rabies; or
(3)
Impound the dog or cat in the County animal pound, at the owner's
expense, for a period of 10 days, unless the dog or cat develops active
symptoms of rabies; or
(4)
Confine the dog or cat under competent observation for 10 days, unless
the animal develops active symptoms of rabies or expires before that
time.
B.
At the end of the period of confinement under this section, if the
dog or cat has not developed active symptoms of rabies, it may be
released to its owner. If the dog or cat was confined at the animal
pound, the owner shall pay the impoundment fee, transport fee and
daily charges authorized by this chapter. If the dog or cat was confined
in a kennel or veterinarian hospital, the owner shall pay the standard
boarding fee charged by such kennel or hospital. Should a dog or cat
confined under this section die prior to expiration of the ten-day
confinement period, the owner shall still be required to pay confinement
costs to the date of death of the dog or cat.
C.
Any dog or cat confined under this section and not claimed by its owner as herein provided for may be disposed of as provided in § 11-18.
State law references: Similar provisions, Code of Virginia,
§ 3.2-6522.
A.
When any potentially rabid animal, other than a dog or cat, exposes
or may have exposed a person to rabies through a bite, or through
saliva or central nervous system tissue, in a fresh open wound or
mucous membrane, that animal shall be confined at the discretion of
the animal control officer or Director of the Health Department in
a manner approved by the State Health Department or humanely euthanized.
The head of a euthanized animal shall be kept and evaluated by the
Health Department, or sent to the division of consolidated laboratory
services of the Virginia Department of General Services for evaluation.
B.
When any animal, other than a dog or cat, believed to be afflicted
with rabies, exposes another animal, other than a dog or cat, to rabies
through a bite or through saliva or central nervous system tissue,
in a fresh open wound or mucous membrane, that newly exposed animal
shall be confined at the discretion of the animal control officer
or Health Director in a manner approved by the Health Department or
humanely euthanized.
State law references: Similar provisions, Code of Virginia,
§ 3.2-6522.
Every person having knowledge of the existence of an animal
apparently afflicted with rabies shall report immediately to the animal
control officer or the County Health Department the existence of such
animal, the place where seen, the owner's name, if known, and the
symptoms suggesting rabies.
State law references: Similar provisions, Code of Virginia,
§ 3.2-6522.
Any dog or cat found within the County showing active signs
of rabies or suspected of having rabies shall be forthwith taken into
custody by the animal control officer or other officer and confined
under competent observation for such time as may be necessary to determine
a diagnosis. If confinement is impossible or impracticable, such dog
or cat shall be euthanized by one of the methods approved by the State
Veterinarian as provided by § 3.2-6546 of the Code of Virginia,
and the head shall be delivered to the Health Department for examination.
State law references: Similar provisions, Code of Virginia,
§ 3.2-6522.
A.
Any dog or cat for which no proof of current rabies vaccination is
available and which is exposed to rabies through a bite, or through
saliva or central nervous system tissue, in a fresh open wound or
mucous membrane by an animal believed to be affected with rabies shall
be confined in a pound, kennel or enclosure approved by the Health
Department for a period not to exceed six months, at the expense of
the owner of such dog or cat; however, if this is not feasible, the
dog or cat shall be euthanized. A rabies vaccination shall be administered
four weeks prior to release from confinement. Inactivated rabies vaccine
may be administered at the beginning of confinement.
B.
Any dog or cat which has proof of a valid rabies vaccination, and
which has been bitten or exposed to rabies through saliva or central
nervous system tissue, in a fresh open wound or mucous membrane, shall
be revaccinated immediately and confined to the premises of its owner
or other site as may be approved by the Health Department, for a period
of 45 days.
State law references: Similar provisions, Code of Virginia,
§ 3.2-6522.
Any person who has been directed by the animal control officer,
the Health Director, or both to confine any animal in accordance with
the provisions of this article to prevent the potential spread of
rabies, and who disobeys that direction in any particular, shall be
guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor.
