Note: Prior history: 1953 Code § 4611; Ords. 112 § 1, 850.
Every person owning or harboring a dog, four months of age or older, for fifteen or more days shall have such dog vaccinated against rabies by a licensed veterinarian, and revaccinated thereafter at intervals of twelve months or thirty-six months, depending on the age of the dog at time of last vaccination.
(Ord. 918 § 1, 1978; Ord. 1158 § 6, 1988)
Each duly licensed veterinarian, after vaccinating any dog, shall sign a certificate of vaccination in triplicate containing all information required by the county health officer. He shall present one copy to the owner, shall deliver the duplicate copy to the animal services manager, and shall retain the third copy.
(Ord. 918 § 1, 1978)
The vaccination requirement for rabies shall not apply to a dog if a licensed veterinarian has examined the dog and certified at such time that rabies vaccine may endanger the dog's health because of its age, infirmity, debility or other physiological considerations, and said dog is kept in the house or in a fenced yard adequate to confine the animal at all times. The deferment shall be valid only during the period that vaccination would endanger the dog's health, as said period is shown by the certificate of a licensed veterinarian.
(Ord. 918 § 1, 1978)
No person who owns or harbors any dog shall fail or refuse to exhibit his copy of the rabies certificate or antirabies inoculation deferment form upon demand of any person charged with the enforcement of this title.
(Ord. 918 § 1, 1978)
Any person having knowledge of the whereabouts of an animal known to have, or suspected of having, rabies shall report the facts immediately to the city health officer or the animal services manager. In those areas declared by the Director of the State Department of Public Health to be regarded as rabies areas, pursuant to Section 1901.2, California Health and Safety Code or a successor statute, the city health officer shall be notified when any person is bitten by an animal of a species subject to rabies, whether or not the animal is suspected of having rabies.
(Ord. 918 § 1, 1978)
Whenever a person owning or having charge, care, control, custody or possession of any animal has knowledge that said animal has bitten a person, such person shall report the facts of said incident to the animal services manager or his designee.
(Ord. 918 § 1, 1978)
Upon receipt of a report that a person has been bitten or is otherwise exposed by an animal of a species subject to rabies (all warm-blooded animals), the animal services manager or designee, at his or her discretion, shall have such animal isolated in strict confinement under proper care and observation of a licensed veterinarian in a veterinary hospital or other adequate facility. The animal shall be observed for at least fourteen days (dogs and cats shall be observed ten days) after the day of the bite, with the following exception. Dogs and cats may be released after five days of veterinary observation if the observing veterinarian certifies that there are no clinical signs or symptoms of disease. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions, the animal services manager or designee may authorize, with permission of the owner, and following other legal restrictions, the euthanasia of a biting animal for the purpose of laboratory examination for rabies in an approved laboratory. Costs of quarantining an animal shall be the responsibility of the owner. If an animal is quarantined at the city animal shelter, the owner shall be required to make a deposit and pay care and feeding charges, as set by resolution of the city council, and any veterinary costs. A fee, as set by resolution of the city council shall be paid for animals quarantined upon the premises of the owner.
(Ord. 918 § 1, 1978; Ord. 1158 § 7, 1988)
If any rabid animal, clinically suspected rabid animal or biting animal dies or has been killed, adequate specimen shall be obtained and examined in an approved public health laboratory. No person shall destroy or allow to be destroyed the brain of an animal of a species subject to rabies that has bitten or otherwise exposed a person before the destruction of such brain has been authorized by the public health department.
(Ord. 918 § 1, 1978)
Any animal of a species subject to rabies which has been bitten by a known or suspected rabid animal shall be quarantined in a place and manner approved by the city officer for a period of six months, or destroyed, with the exception that the following alternative is permitted in the case of dogs and cats. If the dog or cat has been vaccinated against rabies within two years, but not less than thirty days, with a canine live-virus rabies vaccine, or within one year, but not less than thirty days, with a canine killed-virus rabies vaccine, the dog or cat may be revaccinated in a manner prescribed and quarantined in a place and manner approved by the city health officer for a period of thirty days.
(Ord. 918 § 1, 1978)
No owner or person, either by himself or through his agent, shall remove from any place of isolation or quarantine any animal which has been isolated or quarantined without the consent of the animal service manager or his designee.
(Ord. 918 § 1, 1978)
If, upon examination, the city health officer determines that any animal is afflicted with rabies, he may cause such animal to be immediately destroyed in a humane manner, provided, however, when any animal is known to have bitten, scratched or otherwise exposed a person or animal to rabies, such animal shall be quarantined for such time as may be prescribed by law.
(Ord. 918 § 1, 1978)