(a) It
shall be unlawful for any person to own, keep, harbor or have custody
or control of a dog or cat over four (4) months of age unless such
animal has been immunized against rabies by injection of antirabies
vaccine by a licensed veterinarian or by a veterinarian validly licensed
in another jurisdiction. Immunization shall be repeated annually so
that continuing vaccinations are not more than one (1) year apart.
(b) Every
owner of a dog or cat immunized against rabies shall procure a rabies
vaccination certificate from the veterinarian administering the vaccine.
(c) The
provisions restricting the use and sale of rabies vaccine for animals
as set forth in the state statute enacting the Rabies Control Act
of 1981 are hereby adopted by reference, as contained in chapter 826
of the Health and Safety Code, V.T.C.S., a copy of which is on file
in the office of the city secretary, and as amended from time to time.
(d) It shall be unlawful for a person to administer, sell, or distribute rabies vaccine for animals in a manner not authorized by subsection
(c) of this section.
(e) Every
veterinarian whose office or place of business is located within the
city, and every designated veterinarian whose office or place of business
is located within or outside the city, shall keep detailed records
of animal rabies vaccinations and, upon request of the city, shall
provide a listing of rabies vaccinations to the rabies prevention
section. The listing shall include the owner’s name and address,
animal species, gender, date of vaccination and whether or not the
animal has been altered.
(Ordinance adopting 1993 Code; 1993
Code, sec. 2.501)
(a) Any
animal that has rabies or symptoms which could reasonably indicate
rabies, or that bites, scratches or otherwise creates a condition
which may expose or transmit the rabies virus to any human being or
other animal, shall be impounded immediately as provided in this section
and shall be held in quarantine in the city a minimum period of ten
(10) days from the date of the bite, scratch or when the condition
which may have exposed or transmitted the rabies virus to a human
being or other animal occurred, or longer as the rabies prevention
officer may deem necessary. Such quarantine will be subject to the
following conditions:
(1) If a rabies prevention officer is able to notify the owner of a subject
animal, the owner may exercise the option to quarantine the subject
animal within twenty-four (24) hours of notification at any licensed
veterinarian’s clinic in the city which has facilities for isolation
cages, or other suitable site designated and approved by the rabies
prevention officer.
(2) A stray animal may be euthanized and its head examined for rabies
by a department of state health services laboratory at any time during
the impoundment or quarantine period when deemed necessary by the
rabies prevention officer.
(3) Any quarantined animal showing clinical signs of rabies shall be
euthanized immediately and its head submitted to the nearest department
of state health services laboratory for rabies diagnosis.
(4) Animals bitten by a high risk animal or by a known suspected rabid
animal shall be quarantined or euthanized in accordance with state
law.
(5) An animal placed in quarantine anywhere in the city shall not be
released without the quarantine keeper providing notification of the
animal’s release to the rabies prevention officer.
(b) If
the biting animal, whether owned or unowned, is a high risk animal,
excluding dogs and cats, which bit, scratched or created a condition
which may have exposed or transmitted the rabies virus to a human
being or another animal, it shall be euthanized and its head submitted
to the department of state health services laboratory for rabies diagnosis.
(c) If
the biting animal is a low risk animal which was not cage-raised,
which bit, scratched or created a condition which may have exposed
or transmitted the rabies virus to human being, the animal shall be
euthanized and its head submitted to the department of state health
services laboratory for rabies diagnosis.
(d) The
rabies prevention officer may require an animal which has inflicted
multiple bite wounds, punctures, or laceration to the face, head,
or neck of a human being to be euthanized and its head submitted to
the department of state health services laboratory for rabies diagnosis.
(e) Any
animal required to be quarantined under this section which in the
determination of the rabies prevention officer cannot be or is not
being maintained in a secure quarantine shall be euthanized and its
head submitted to the department of state health services laboratory
for rabies diagnosis.
(f) The
owner of any animal that is reported to have rabies or symptoms thereof,
or to have been exposed to rabies, or to have bitten, scratched or
otherwise created a condition which may have exposed or transmitted
the rabies virus to any human being or animal, or that the owner knows
or suspects to be rabid or to have bitten, scratched or otherwise
created a condition which may have exposed or transmitted the rabies
virus to any human being or animal, shall submit such animal for quarantine
to the rabies prevention officer or any police officer. If the animal
dies prior to its quarantine, the owner shall submit the animal to
the rabies prevention section for rabies diagnosis.
(g) Any
person who has knowledge of any animal that exhibits symptoms of or
has been exposed to rabies, or of any animal which has bitten, scratched
or otherwise created a condition which may have exposed or transmitted
the rabies virus to any human being or animal, shall immediately report
the incident to the rabies prevention section. The report shall include
the name and address of the victim and owner of the animal, if known,
and any other information he or she has relating to the incident or
animal.
(h) Every
veterinarian or other person who is called to examine or professionally
attend any animal with rabies or any other reportable communicable
disease shall, within twenty-four (24) hours thereafter, report the
following in writing to the rabies prevention officer:
(1) Species and description of the animal;
(3) Name and address of the owner thereof;
(4) Type and character of the disease.
(i) Every
veterinarian practicing within the city shall keep detailed records
of animal rabies vaccination and, upon request of the rabies prevention
officer, shall provide a listing of rabies vaccinations to the rabies
prevention section. The listing shall include the owner’s name
and address, animal species, gender, date of vaccination and whether
or not the animal has been altered.
(j) The
rabies prevention officer shall investigate and record all cases of
rabies and suspected rabies.
(k) The
body of any animal that has died of rabies or that dies or is destroyed
while in quarantine shall not be disposed of except as directed by
the rabies prevention officer.
(l) The
owner of any animal quarantined under this section shall pay all reasonable
costs of the quarantine and disposition of the animal, including charges
for shipment of animal tissues, if required, to the department of
state health services laboratory for testing.
(m) An
animal which has been quarantined may be released by the rabies prevention
officer under the following conditions:
(1) At the end of the observation period upon proof of vaccination or
receipt of vaccination prior to release from quarantine;
(2) When all applicable fees have been paid;
(3) If the animal is not being held for legal proceedings; and
(4) If the appropriate city license registration has been obtained.
(n) It shall be unlawful for the owner of an animal that has rabies or symptoms which could reasonably indicate rabies, or that bites, scratches, or otherwise creates a condition which may expose or transmit the rabies virus to any human being or other animal, to fail or refuse to comply with any provision of subsection
(a)(1),
(d),
(e),
(f),
(g), or
(k) of this section.
(Ordinance adopting 1993 Code; 1993
Code, sec. 2.502)