It shall be unlawful for any owner to allow or permit his dog
to run at large upon any public or private property within this city.
(1973 Code, sec. 6-33; 1991 Code,
sec. 7-46; 2007 Code, sec. 10-67)
Any dog found at large after the owner thereof has previous
knowledge or notice that such dog has engaged in vicious conduct as
defined in V.T.C.A., Health and Safety Code section 822.013 may be
killed by any police officer of the city without such officer having
to catch or impound such dog.
(1973 Code, sec. 6-34; 1991 Code,
sec. 7-47; 2007 Code, sec. 10-68)
(a)
Surrender to animal control officer.
Any dog or other
domestic animal that has engaged in vicious conduct as defined in
V.T.C.A., Health and Safety Code section 822.013 and which has either
escaped or been loosed from its owner’s property and has bitten
any person while at large and then is or has returned to the owner’s
property shall be immediately delivered by the owner to the city animal
control officer upon demand by the animal control officer.
(b)
Impoundment; destruction.
The animal control officer
shall impound such animal for at least 14 days. Upon expiration of
the period, if evidence of rabies in the dog or domestic animal is
detected, the animal shall be destroyed. The animal shall also be
destroyed, even if it shows no evidence of rabies, if the animal has
bitten a person to death or has bitten a person more than one time
while at large and is capable of causing serious injury or death of
any person by reason of biting.
(1973 Code, sec. 6-34.1; 1991 Code,
sec. 7-48; 2007 Code, sec. 10-69)
(a)
A
person having knowledge of an animal bite or scratch to an individual
that the person could reasonably foresee as capable of transmitting
rabies or of an animal that the person suspects is rabid, within 24
hours thereafter, shall report the incident or animal to the animal
control officer and the chief of police, if the person lives in this
city, if the animal is located in this city, or if the exposure occurs
in this city. The report shall include the name and address of any
victim and of the owner of the animal, if known, and any other data
which may aid in locating the victim or the animal.
(b)
Every
veterinarian or other person who is called to examine or professionally
attend any dog within this city having rabies, within 24 hours thereafter,
shall report to the animal control officer and the chief of police
the following facts:
(1973 Code, sec. 6-35; 1991 Code,
sec. 7-49; 2007 Code, sec. 10-70)
(a)
Confinement by owner.
It shall be the duty of every
person who owns a dog or keeps a dog in or on his premises, or on
premises under his control, within the city, when the dog shows symptoms
of rabies or has been exposed to such disease, or has injured some
person or animal, upon such person being notified by the animal control
officer of such fact, to at once confine the dog in a secure place
for a period of not less than 14 days, or such longer period as may
be specified by the state board of health, and until it can be reasonably
determined by the animal control officer that the dog is not afflicted
with such disease.
(b)
Confinement by animal control officer when owner cannot be found.
In the event the owner, keeper or person in control of a dog
showing such symptoms of rabies, or which has been exposed thereto,
or which has injured some person or animal, cannot be found by the
animal control officer, it shall be the duty of the animal control
officer to confine such dog in a secure place for such period of time
as necessary to determine whether such dog is afflicted with such
disease.
(1973 Code, secs. 6-36, 6-37; 1991
Code, secs. 7-50, 7-51; 2007 Code, secs. 10-71, 10-72)
It is hereby made the duty of the chief of police and his full-time,
salaried officers to kill and exterminate any and all dogs at large
when such dogs are, or appear to be, affected with rabies or any other
infectious, contagious or dangerous disease.
(1973 Code, sec. 6-38; 1991 Code,
sec. 7-52; 2007 Code, sec. 10-73)
Rabies quarantine shall be conducted in accordance with the
Rabies Control Act of 1981 (V.T.C.A., Health and Safety Code chapter
826) and the regulations of the state board of health.
(1973 Code, sec. 6-39; 1991 Code,
sec. 7-53; 2007 Code, sec. 10-74)
