For the purposes of this article, Chapter 826 of the Texas Health
and Safety Code, including any amendments thereto which may from time
to time occur, is hereby adopted by reference herein as though set
out at length, for the purposes of rabies control.
(Ordinance 97-05-02 adopted 5/6/97)
Pursuant to the authority granted by V.T.C.A. Health and Safety
Code, Section 826.017, the city council hereby appoints the animal
control officer to serve as the local rabies control authority.
(Ordinance 97-05-02 adopted 5/6/97)
It shall be the duty of every person who owns a dog or cat,
or keeps a dog or cat in or on premises under his control within the
city, to have the animal properly vaccinated each and every year against
hydrophobia, commonly called "rabies," by a competent veterinarian
duly licensed to practice such profession in the state.
(Ordinance 97-05-02 adopted 5/6/97)
Every veterinarian who vaccinates a dog or cat against rabies
shall furnish the owner of such animal with a certificate thereof,
containing the name of such owner and the age, color, sex and general
description of such animal sufficient to identify such animal. Upon
request, a copy of the certificate shall be tendered to the animal
control officer.
(Ordinance 97-05-02 adopted 5/6/97)
Along with the certificate of vaccination for a dog or cat,
the veterinarian vaccinating such animal shall furnish the owner thereof
with a metal tag for the animal containing lettering indicating the
proper vaccination and inoculation of the animal, and the year during
which the vaccination was administered, which tag shall be attached
to the collar of the animal by the owner.
(Ordinance 97-05-02 adopted 5/6/97)
It shall be the duty of every person who owns a dog or cat,
or keeps a dog or cat in or on premises under his control within the
city, to have available for inspection proof of current rabies vaccination
for the animal and to tender the information to the animal control
officer upon request.
(Ordinance 97-05-02 adopted 5/6/97)
A person who knows of an animal bite or scratch to an individual
by an animal which could reasonably be capable of transmitting rabies,
or who knows of an animal that might be rabid, shall report the incident
or animal to the animal control officer. The report shall include:
(1)
A statement
of the location of such diseased animal;
(2)
The name
and address of the owner thereof;
(3)
The name
and address of the victim;
(4)
All known
humans or animals suspected of having been exposed to the rabid animal.
(Ordinance 97-05-02 adopted 5/6/97)
The animal control officer shall investigate a report filed
under Section 2.407 of this article and take action in accordance
with this article and existing state law.
(Ordinance 97-05-02 adopted 5/6/97)
It shall be the duty of every person who owns an animal or keeps
an animal in or on his premises, or on premises under his control,
when such animal shows symptoms of hydrophobia, or has been exposed
to such disease, or has injured some person or animal, to immediately
relinquish custody of the animal to the animal control officer. The
animal control officer or a veterinarian shall quarantine or test,
in accordance with board rules, any animal that the animal control
officer has probable cause to believe is rabid, may have been exposed
to rabies, or may have exposed a person to rabies.
(Ordinance 97-05-02 adopted 5/6/97)
(a)
If it
is determined that the quarantined animal does not show the clinical
signs of rabies, the animal control officer shall release the animal
to the owner at the termination of the quarantine period if:
(b)
If it
is determined that the quarantined animal shows the clinical signs
of rabies, the animal control officer shall humanely destroy the animal.
If an animal dies or is destroyed while in quarantine, the animal
control officer shall have the head or brain of the animal properly
prepared and submit it to the nearest department laboratory for testing.
(c)
The owner
of an animal that is quarantined under this article shall pay to the
veterinarian or animal control officer the costs of quarantine and
disposition/testing of the animal; however, at the discretion of the
animal control officer, any such destruction and/or testing expense
may be charged to the person requesting such destruction and/or testing.
(d)
If the
owner of an animal fails to take possession of the animal before the
fourth day following the final day of the quarantine period, the animal
control officer may sell the animal and retain the proceeds or keep,
grant or humanely destroy the animal.
(Ordinance 97-05-02 adopted 5/6/97)
