All dogs and cats in the city over four (4) months of age must be inoculated annually for rabies with a vaccine approved by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Veterinary Biologic Division. All such dogs and cats which have not been so inoculated shall be inoculated within fifteen (15) days after their arrival in the city. Any owner of a dog or cat in the city who fails or refuses to comply with the vaccination requirements herein set out shall be deemed guilty of an offense.
(Ordinance 976, art. 8, adopted 4/23/96; 1972 Code, sec. 4-25)
(a) 
Required; duplicate tags; transfer.
Every animal owner shall be required to provide their animal with a collar for the tag which is to be constantly worn. In case an animal tag is lost or destroyed, a duplicate will be issued by the city upon presentation of the receipt showing the payment of a fee in the amount set forth in the fee schedule in appendix A of this code for such duplicate. Tags shall not be transferable from one animal to another and no refund shall be made on any animal license fee because of the death of the animal or the departure of the owner from the city before the expiration of the license period.
(b) 
Offenses.
The following acts are prohibited and hereby declared unlawful:
(1) 
The counterfeiting of dog and cat license or tags.
(2) 
The removal of dog or cat licenses or tags from any dog or cat.
(3) 
The willful and malicious destruction of dog or cat licenses or tags.
(Ordinance 976, art. 8, adopted 4/23/96; 1972 Code, sec. 4-26; Ordinance adopting 2023 Code)
(a) 
Each duly licensed veterinarian, after vaccinating any animal, shall sign a certificate in duplicate containing the following information:
(1) 
The name and address of the owner of the vaccinated animal.
(2) 
The kind of vaccine used and the date of the vaccination.
(3) 
The year and serial number of the animal tags.
(4) 
The breed, age, color and sex of the vaccinated animal.
(5) 
Such other information as the director may require.
(b) 
He shall immediately present one (1) copy to the owner of the vaccinated animal. The remaining copy of the certificate shall be retained by the veterinarian.
(Ordinance 976, art. 8, adopted 4/23/96; 1972 Code, sec. 4-27)
Every veterinarian or other person who is called to examine or professionally attend any animal within the city having any case of rabies shall, within twenty-four (24) hours thereafter, report in writing to the health officer and animal control officer the following facts:
(1) 
The location of such diseased animal.
(2) 
The name and address of the owner thereof.
(Ordinance 976, art. 8, adopted 4/23/96; 1972 Code, sec. 4-28)
(a) 
Impoundment or confinement of suspected rabid animal.
If an animal has bitten or otherwise attacked a person, has rabies or symptoms thereof or is suspected by the animal control officer of having rabies or has been exposed to rabies, upon demand of the animal warden or his deputies, it shall be surrendered to him and shall be impounded in the city pound or confined in a veterinary hospital, at the owner’s expense, for observation for a period of ten (10) days, or upon written consent of the person, such animal shall be immediately and securely confined by the owner of such animal with a good quality chain for a period of ten (10) days in a place where no person will be bitten by such animal. During such confinement, the animal shall be subject to examination by the animal control officer at any time.
(b) 
Pathological examination; payment of quarantine fee.
If an animal dies while quarantined for rabies or has been determined to have rabies, the director shall send the head of the animal to the department of state health services for examination. The owner of an animal which is quarantined at the animal shelter must pay, in advance, a maintenance fee in the amount set forth in the fee schedule in appendix A of this code. An animal may be destroyed upon failure of the owner to pay the fee.
(c) 
Area-wide quarantine.
In the event a potential outbreak of rabies is suspected and the danger to the public safety from rabid animals is reasonably imminent, the animal control officer is hereby authorized, and it shall be his duty, to issue a quarantine proclamation ordering persons owning, keeping or harboring any animal to muzzle the same or confine it as herein provided for such time as may be specified in such quarantine proclamation. Upon the publication of such proclamation by the animal control officer, any person keeping or harboring any animal shall restrain the animal from running at large except that such animal under the control of an adult person on a leash may do so only if the animal is effectively muzzled. All animals found at large during the time specified by the animal control officer in his quarantine proclamation may be destroyed by the animal control officer or any law enforcement officer if said officer is unable, with reasonable effort, to apprehend such animal for impoundment.
(Ordinance 976, art. 8, adopted 4/23/96; 1972 Code, sec. 4-29; Ordinance adopting 2023 Code)