City of Nolanville, TX RABIES CONTROL

(a)

A person having knowledge of an animal bite or scratch to an individual that a reasonable person could reasonably foresee as capable of transmitting rabies or knowledge of an animal that is reasonably suspected to be rabid shall report such knowledge immediately to the director of animal control or the police department.

(b)

The owner of an animal that is reported to be rabid or to have exposed an individual to a risk of contracting rabies shall submit the animal to an officer of animal control or a licensed veterinarian to be quarantined until such time as it can be definitely determined whether such animal is infected with rabies, but in no case less than ten days from the day of impound.

(c)

It is an offense under this chapter for a person to refuse to submit for quarantine any animal reasonably suspected of being rabid. It is also an offense to knowingly sell, release or otherwise dispose of an animal before the expiration of the quarantine period if the animal is reasonably suspected of being rabid.

(d)

An animal that is lacking proof of current vaccination for rabies at the time it bites a person is presumed to be under suspicion of rabies.

(Ordinance 2009-10-05 601, sec. 5(D), adopted 10/5/09)

(a)

Animals suspected of being rabid shall be quarantined with a licensed veterinarian at the expense of the owner, or at the discretion of the animal control officer. The animal may be quarantined on the property of the owner. If it is determined by a veterinarian that a quarantined animal shows the clinical signs of the disease of rabies, the veterinarian shall humanely destroy the animal. If an animal dies or is destroyed while in quarantine, the veterinarian shall remove the head or brain of the animal at the owner’s expense and submit it to the department of state health services for testing.

(b)

Any quarantined dog or cat not vaccinated against rabies nor registered with the city shall be vaccinated by the attending veterinarian at the conclusion of the quarantine period, and the dog or cat shall be registered before being released.

(c)

The owner of the quarantined animal shall pay all fees incident to the quarantine prior to release of the animal from quarantine by the veterinarian with the following exception: Should an animal which has been vaccinated and licensed bite or scratch a person who is trespassing and the animal is properly confined and restrained on the premises of the owner, the trespassing person so bitten or scratched by the animal shall be liable, in advance, for all fees incident to the veterinary examination and quarantine, if the person so bitten or scratched demands quarantine. Otherwise, no quarantine is required, unless ordered by the animal control department.

(d)

In the event the owner of a dog or cat suspected to have rabies is unknown, the dog or cat shall be considered a stray, and it shall be quarantined by the city pound. Should a person subsequently appear to claim the dog or cat, that person shall be considered the owner and shall be liable for all fees related to the quarantine. If all fees are not paid within three (3) days, the dog or cat will be destroyed by the division of animal control or assignee.

(e)

Any animal suspected of being infected with rabies may be destroyed immediately upon recommendation of a licensed veterinarian.

(f)

Whenever any animal bites any other animal, all regulations and requirements herein described shall apply to both the inflictor of the bite and the animal bitten. Should any animal be bitten by an animal determined to have rabies, then the bitten animal shall be handled by one of the following methods:

(1)

If not vaccinated against rabies within the 12-month period immediately preceding the date of exposure, the animal shall be quarantined for a minimum period of 180 days immediately following the date of exposure, at the owner’s expense, at a veterinary hospital, with the animal being examined and vaccinated against rabies 30 days before the end of the 180-day quarantine period by a licensed veterinarian, unless the owner of the animal gives written consent to destroy it;

(2)

If vaccinated against rabies within the 12-month period immediately preceding exposure, the type and length of quarantine shall be determined by a veterinarian in consultation with the veterinarian who has been attending the animal, but not to exceed six months, at the owner’s expense; or

(3)

Humanely destroyed. The animal control officer will make the final decision on all animals to be humanely destroyed.

(g)

Should any owner refuse to comply with the provisions of this section, the municipal judge may issue an order to the animal control officer, assignee, or any police officer directing that the dog or other animal be confined in the approved animal shelter for a period of ten days for observation for rabies. The expense of the confinement shall be paid by the owner, except as set forth in subsection (c) of this section. The order may be issued by the municipal judge only on a finding of probable cause based on the affidavit of a credible person showing that the biting or scratching took place and that the dog or other animal in question was the dog or other animal responsible.

(h)

Any dog or other animal kept, maintained, or harbored within the city which has bitten, scratched, or otherwise attacked any person is hereby declared to be a nuisance.

(i)

Any animal determined to have bitten or scratched someone must be taken, at the owner’s expense, except as set forth in subsection (c) of this section, to a veterinarian to be examined both at the time of the bite and at the end of the quarantine period. This applies to vaccinated as well as unvaccinated animals, as per the department of state health services.

(Ordinance 2009-10-05 601, sec. 5(E), adopted 10/5/09; Ordinance adopting Code)