The city hereby adopts the Rabies Control Act of 1981 (Texas
Health and Safety Code, chapter 826) as amended, and the standards
established by the state as minimum standards for rabies control and
quarantine provisions within the city. In addition thereto, all of
the rabies control provisions of this chapter, which are adopted pursuant
to sections 826.015 and 826.033 of the Texas Health and Safety Code,
shall have application within the city. A copy of the statute may
be obtained from the animal control officer.
(1)
All
dogs and cats must be vaccinated against rabies and reinoculated as
specified by law.
(2)
Nonresident
owners are required to maintain proof of vaccination on any animal
brought in to the city on a temporary basis.
(Ordinance 07-10-16A, sec. III(b),
adopted 10/16/07)
(a)
Any
dog or cat which bites a person shall be promptly reported to the
animal control officer or police officer and shall thereupon be securely
quarantined at the direction of the animal control officer, county
animal health officer or police officer for a period of ten (10) days,
and shall not be released from such quarantine except by written permission
of the animal control officer. Such quarantine shall be at the designated
animal shelter or in a veterinary hospital of the owner’s choice
and at the owner’s expense. In the case of dogs or cats running
at large whose ownership is unknown, such animal shall be humanly
destroyed as suspected of being rabid and the carcass treated in all
respects according to state law. All animal bites shall be immediately
reported by the investigating officer to the county animal health
officer for his information or disposition of the offending animal.
(b)
The
owner upon demand made by the animal control officer or police officer
shall immediately surrender any animal which has bitten any person,
or which is suspected of having been exposed to rabies for supervised
quarantine. The expense of the quarantine shall be borne by the owner.
The animal so quarantined may be redeemed by the owner if the animal
is determined to be free of rabies and upon payment of all fees incurred.
(c)
If
it is determined by a veterinarian that a quarantined animal shows
the clinical signs of the disease of rabies, the animal control officer
or police officer shall humanely destroy the animal. If an animal
under quarantine dies or is destroyed, the animal control officer
shall cause the head of the animal to be immediately sent to the state
health department for pathological examination, and shall notify the
proper health officer of reports of human contacts the animal may
have had, and the diagnosis made of the suspected animal.
(d)
No
person shall kill or cause to be killed any rabid dog or cat suspected
of having been exposed to rabies; or dog or cat which has bitten or
scratched any person, except as otherwise provided herein; nor shall
such dog or cat be removed from the city limits without the express
written permission of the animal control officer or county animal
health officer.
(e)
The
carcass of any dead animal exposed or suspected of having been exposed
to rabies shall be surrendered to the animal control officer or police
officer. No person shall fail or refuse to surrender the carcass of
any such animal upon demand therefor.
(f)
It
shall be the duty of every physician or other practitioner, or other
persons to report to the animal control officer or police officer
the names and addresses of every person treated for bites inflicted
by animals.
(Ordinance 07-10-16A, sec. III(a),
adopted 10/16/07)
The animal control officer shall act as the local rabies control
authority for the purposes of this article and enforcing the provisions
of chapter 826 of the Texas Health and Safety Code.
(Ordinance 07-10-16A, sec. III(c),
adopted 10/16/07)
Registration of dogs and cats is not required. However, the
city strongly urges all dog and cat owners to place an identification
collar including current rabies inoculation tag on their pets when
outdoors so the owner can be determined should the pet be found running
loose and be returned to the owner.
(Ordinance 07-10-16A, sec. III(d),
adopted 10/16/07)
