No person shall own, keep or harbor a dog or cat over the age of four (4) months within the city limits unless the dog or cat shall have been vaccinated with an antirabies vaccine by a licensed veterinarian. The dog or cat must receive a booster vaccination within the 12-month interval following the initial vaccination. After the first vaccinations, all such animals shall be vaccinated at least once every three years as provided in Texas Administrative Code title 25, part 1, chapter 169, section 169.29.
(Ordinance 506, sec. 6-6, adopted 7/12/88; Ordinance adopting Code)
Upon compliance with the provisions of section 2.03.001, there shall be issued to the owner a numbered metallic vaccination tag, stamped with the number and the month and year issued, which shall be securely fastened to a collar worn by such vaccinated dog or cat.
(Ordinance 506, sec. 6-7, adopted 7/12/88; Ordinance adopting Code)
(a) 
It shall be the duty of every physician or other practitioner to report to the local health authority the names and addresses of persons treated for bites inflicted by animals, together with such other information as will be helpful in rabies control.
(b) 
It shall be the duty of every person owning or having possession of an animal which has bitten a person to report the same to the local health authority and to confine it in an enclosure or to securely hold the animal in a closed, padlocked cage for observation and examination by the local health authority. No person having the custody or possession of such animal shall fail, refuse or neglect to allow the local health authority to make an inspection or examination of such animal for the purpose of determining whether such animal has rabies.
(Ordinance 506, sec. 6-22, adopted 7/12/88)
(a) 
Animal which bites; observation period.
Every animal which bites a person or which is suspected of having bitten a person shall be promptly reported to the local health authority and shall thereupon be securely quarantined for a period of ten (10) days.
(b) 
Quarantine places.
Quarantining shall be at the following:
(1) 
State-approved rabies quarantine facility, in which case the owner of the animal suspected of having rabies shall pay the usual impoundment fees.
(2) 
A licensed veterinary hospital, upon the owner’s request and at his expense.
(3) 
Home quarantine is subject to the approval of the chief of police and the following requirements:
(A) 
The owner of the animal is a resident of the city and has proper confinement facilities at his residence in the city;
(B) 
The owner of the subject animal agrees that he shall have the animal inspected by a licensed veterinarian at least on the first and last days of the quarantine period and agrees to furnish the local health authority with a certificate of health showing the animal to be free of rabies;
(C) 
The animal was not in violation of any laws or ordinances at the time of the possible exposure;
(D) 
The animal is currently vaccinated;
(E) 
The animal can be observed daily by the local health authority.
(4) 
An animal of unknown ownership will be quarantined at a state-approved rabies quarantine facility.
(c) 
Surrender by owner; expense.
Upon demand made by the local health authority, it shall be unlawful for the owner to fail to surrender any animal which has bitten a person or another animal or which is suspected of having been exposed to rabies, for quarantine, the expense of which shall be borne by the owner.
(d) 
Release to owner.
The quarantined animal may be reclaimed by the owner if adjudged free of rabies, upon payment of impoundment fees and upon compliance with the vaccination requirement of this chapter.
(e) 
Pathological examination; public health officer notified.
When an animal under quarantine is diagnosed by a licensed veterinarian as being rabid or suspected of being rabid or dies while under observation, the local health authority shall immediately send the head of such animal to the department of state health services for pathological examination. The local health authority shall notify the proper public health official of reports of human contacts and the diagnosis made of the suspected animal from the pathological examination.
(f) 
Animal bitten by rabid animal.
Any unvaccinated animal bitten by another animal suspected of being or known to be rabid shall be immediately destroyed or shall be placed in strict isolation for 90 days and shall be vaccinated immediately and given booster vaccinations during the third and eighth weeks of isolation. Any vaccinated animal bitten by another animal suspected of being or known to be rabid shall be given a booster rabies vaccination immediately and placed in strict isolation for 45 days. In the event the biting animal is found not to be rabid, the bitten animal shall be released. Said animal shall be quarantined at the owner’s expense. If the animal is quarantined at the animal shelter, said expense shall be paid at the end of each month’s quarantine or the animal shall become the property of the city and shall be forthwith disposed of; provided, however, that the chief of police may permit the quarantine of the bitten animal for the required period in a licensed veterinary facility at the owner’s option and expense.
(Ordinance 506, sec. 6-23, adopted 7/12/88; Ordinance 506, sec. 6-23, adopted 7/12/88; Ordinance adopting Code)
(a) 
Condition warranting; period.
A citywide quarantine may be invoked for a period of thirty (30) days by the city commission upon the recommendation of the chief of police after the commission has been notified by the state department of health services of a positive diagnosis of rabies of an animal or after an investigation it is determined there exists an immediate threat of rabies.
(b) 
Extending time.
In the event there are additional positive cases of rabies occurring during the thirty-day period of the citywide quarantine, such period of quarantine may be extended for an additional reasonable period of time.
(c) 
Animals in public.
It shall be unlawful for any person to take or permit any animal to be at large or in any other public place during the period of quarantine.
(Ordinance 506, sec. 6-24, adopted 7/12/88)
(a) 
Generally.
It shall be unlawful for any person to kill, or cause to be killed, any rabid animal, any animal suspected of having been exposed to rabies or any animal which has bitten a person or is suspected to have bitten a person, except as herein provided, or to remove same from the city limits without written permission from the chief of police.
(b) 
Exposure to rabies.
The carcass of any dead animal suspected of having been exposed to rabies shall, upon demand, be surrendered to the local health authority.
(c) 
Animal determined rabid.
The local health authority shall direct the disposition of any animal found to be infected with rabies.
(d) 
Surrender after demand.
It shall be unlawful for any person to fail or refuse to surrender any animal for quarantine, destruction or disposal as required herein when demand is made therefor by the local health authority.
(Ordinance 506, sec. 6-25, adopted 7/12/88)