An owner of a dog, cat, or other animal for which a rabies vaccination is commonly given shall keep the animal currently vaccinated against rabies, as defined in section 2.01.001 above. Any person moving into the city from a location outside of the city shall comply with this article within ten days after moving into the city, except when the animal has inflicted a bite on a human within the previous ten days. In such case, the owner of the animal shall report the bite to the veterinarian and the city’s animal control authority within twenty-four (24) hours of the animal’s arrival in the city limits. No rabies vaccine shall be administered until after the ten-day observation period.
Upon vaccination, the veterinarian shall execute and furnish to the owner of the animal as evidence thereof a vaccination certificate on a form furnished by the veterinarian. The veterinarian shall retain a duplicate copy. The certificate shall contain the following information:
(1) 
The name, address and telephone number of the owner of the vaccinated animal;
(2) 
The date of vaccination;
(3) 
The year and number of the rabies tag; and
(4) 
The breed, age, color and sex of the vaccinated animal.
(a) 
Concurrent with the issuance and delivery of the certificate of vaccination referred to in section 2.02.002 above, the owner of the animal shall:
(1) 
Outfit the animal with a properly fitted collar or harness;
(2) 
Affix a tag, serially numbered to correspond with the vaccination certificate number, bearing the year of issuance and the name and address of the issuing veterinarian to the collar or harness; and
(3) 
Require the animal to wear the collar or harness with the attached metal tag at all times.
(b) 
Duplicate tags.
In the event of loss or destruction of the original vaccination tag, the owner of the animal shall obtain a duplicate tag from the veterinarian who administered the vaccination. Vaccination certificates and tags shall be valid only for the animal for which they were originally issued.
Any person having knowledge of the existence of any animal known to have been, or suspected of being, exposed to rabies shall report such knowledge to the animal control authority within twenty-four (24) hours, giving any information which may be required. Any animal that has been, or is suspected of having been, exposed to rabies shall be quarantined in accordance with Texas Health and Safety Code, chapter 826.
(a) 
Reporting animal bites.
(1) 
A person having knowledge of an animal bite to a human, except bites by rodents, rabbits, fowl, or reptiles, shall report the incident to the animal control authority as soon as possible, but no later than 24 hours after the time of the incident. The animal control authority will investigate each bite incident.
(2) 
Any person moving into the city from a location outside the city limits and owning an animal which has inflicted a bite on any person in the last ten days, shall report such fact to a licensed veterinarian and the city’s animal control authority within twenty-four (24) hours of the animal’s arrival in the city limits.
(b) 
Owner responsibility.
If the biting animal is owned, the owner shall place that animal in quarantine, as prescribed in section 2.02.006 below, under the supervision of the animal control authority or a licensed veterinarian.
(a) 
Disposition of biting animals.
The owner of an animal subject to quarantine pursuant to this chapter is required to quarantine the animal for a period of not less than ten days confinement from the date of the bite, at the owner’s expense. The quarantine may be accomplished by:
(1) 
Quarantine in the animal shelter, supervised by the local animal control authority;
(2) 
Quarantine at a veterinary clinic, supervised by a licensed veterinarian; or
(3) 
Home quarantine.
The owner of the animal may request permission from the animal control authority for home quarantine, which may be granted if the animal control authority determines that:
(A) 
No other animals are kept at that residence;
(B) 
Secure facilities are available at the home of the animal’s owner and the animal control authority has verified the facilities enable proper isolation of the animal;
(C) 
The animal is currently vaccinated against rabies as required by state law;
(D) 
The nature of the bite is not severe;
(E) 
A quarantine fee as specified by the sheltering agency is paid to that agency;
(F) 
The animal was not running at large at the time the bite occurred;
(G) 
The animal has not been quarantined for a previous bite incident; and
(H) 
The bite victim agrees to the home quarantine.
(b) 
Observation of the animal.
The animal control authority or a licensed veterinarian must observe the animal at least on the first and last days of the quarantine period. If the animal becomes ill during the observation period, the person having possession of the animal shall notify the animal control authority as soon as the animal presents with symptoms of any illness.
(c) 
Destruction of animal.
If the biting animal cannot be maintained in secure quarantine, it shall be humanely destroyed and the brain submitted to a department of state health services certified laboratory for rabies diagnosis. The owner of the animal shall be required to reimburse the expense of shipping the brain of the animal.
(d) 
Interruption.
A person commits an offense if the person interrupts the observation period by removing an animal from the quarantine facility approved by the animal control authority. Any interruption of the quarantine by any person shall be just cause for seizure and impoundment of the quarantined animal by the animal control authority.
(e) 
Release.
(1) 
An animal that has been quarantined may be released by the local rabies control authority under the following conditions:
(A) 
At the end of the observation period, if the owner can provide proof that the animal is currently vaccinated;
(B) 
When all applicable fees have been paid; and
(C) 
If the animal is not being impounded for legal proceedings.
(2) 
If, by the end of the observation period, the owner cannot provide proof that the animal is currently vaccinated, the animal control authority will conditionally release the animal with a voucher for rabies vaccination paid for by the animal’s owner. The owner commits an offense if (s)he does not provide proof of vaccination to the animal control authority within one business day of the animal’s release from quarantine.
(f) 
Dangerous wild animals.
No dangerous wild animal will be placed in quarantine. Any dangerous wild animal involved in a biting incident will be humanely euthanized and the brain shall be submitted to a Texas Department of State Health Services certified laboratory for rabies diagnosis.
(g) 
Disposition of unclaimed, quarantined animal.
If the owner of a quarantined animal does not take possession of the animal, it may be disposed of in accordance with this chapter, and Texas Code 826.043(d).