Unless specifically indicated otherwise, the following definitions shall apply throughout this chapter:
“City's animal shelter”
shall mean the animal shelter of the City of Tacoma, operated by The Humane Society for Tacoma and Pierce County.
“Health officer”
shall mean the Director of the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department and/or his/her authorized representatives.
“Quarantine”
shall mean the detention or isolation of an animal on account of suspected exposure to or affliction with rabies.
“Unvaccinated animal”
shall mean an animal which has either never been vaccinated against rabies or whose vaccination has expired according to the current Compendium of Animal Rabies Vaccines published by the National Association of State Public Health Veterinarians, Inc., and which has been bitten by a known rabid animal.
“Vaccinated animal”
shall mean an animal which has been vaccinated in accordance with the Compendium of Animal Rabies Vaccines published by the National Association of State Public Health Veterinarians, Inc., and has been bitten by a known rabid animal.
(Ord. 22212 § 23, 1980-09-30; Ord. 23462 § 2, 1985-09-10; Ord. 26485 § 9, 1999-08-03; Ord. 26584 § 11, 2000-03-14)
It shall be the duty of the Health Officer to cause to be quarantined any dog or cat within the City of Tacoma which he has grounds to suspect of being infected with the disease of rabies or hydrophobia. The biting of a human being by a dog or cat causing penetration of the skin by the animal’s teeth is specifically declared to be a ground for suspecting that such animal is so infected.
(Ord. 22212 § 23, 1980-09-30)
A quarantine shall be initiated by delivering to the owner or keeper of such suspected animal a written notice of such quarantine which shall prescribe the duration of the quarantine period; provided that the period of the quarantine shall not exceed 10 days unless it is determined that the animal is infected with rabies. The delivery of the notice of quarantine to a responsible person present upon the premises where such animal is kept shall be considered service of the notice upon the owner or keeper. Any such animal so quarantined shall be impounded in the City's animal shelter or a local veterinary clinic’s kennel; provided that in the discretion of the Health Officer, said animal may be quarantined upon the premises of the owner or any other person so long as the requirements of the quarantine are strictly fulfilled.
(Ord. 22212 § 23, 1980-09-30; Ord. 26584 § 12, 2000-03-14)
During the period of any quarantine, the owner or keeper of a quarantined animal shall not allow said animal to come into contact with any other animal or person or permit such animal to run at large outside of the premises where quarantined or upon the premises itself unless said premises be enclosed by a secure fence from which the animal cannot escape. When the fence encloses the access to the premises, the animal must be restricted to leave free access to those persons lawfully entering the premises. The owner or keeper shall not remove or cause said animal to be removed from the premises without the prior consent of the Health Officer. These restrictions shall continue until said animal is released from quarantine. Any animal found running at large or which is removed from the premises where quarantined shall be impounded, and unless claimed and redeemed by its owner or keeper within two days after the expiration of the quarantine period, may be destroyed by the proper authorities. Further, a dog under quarantine which bites a person or domestic animal while running at large shall be automatically declared to be a “potentially dangerous dog” under Section 5.27.010A, and shall be destroyed at the end of the quarantine period. In addition to any other penalties prescribed herein, the owner or keeper or person having care of such dog shall be in violation of Section 5.27.040 of this title and subject to the penalties set forth in Section 5.27.050. Upon redemption of a dog, cat, or other animal released from quarantine from the City's animal shelter, the owner or keeper shall pay the same service fee and board fee for any dog, cat, or other animal quarantined in the City's animal shelter as provided for in Section 5.26.120 of the Tacoma Municipal Code; provided, however, that if the animal is brought to the animal shelter by the owner or keeper, the service fee shall be waived.
(Ord. 22212 § 23, 1980-09-30; Ord. 23600 § 16, 1986-04-29; Ord. 24719 § 1, 1990-09-18; Ord. 26584 § 13, 2000-03-14)
When an animal is known to have been bitten by a rabid animal, the following procedures shall apply:
A. 
Unvaccinated animal. The animal shall be destroyed immediately; provided that, upon the election of the owner, said animal may be kept at its owner’s expense in strict isolation in a kennel under veterinary supervision for a minimum period of six months following the bite.
B. 
Vaccinated animal. The animal shall be handled as follows:
1. 
The animal shall be immediately revaccinated with an approved rabies vaccine and confined under the supervision of a veterinarian for a period of 30 days following revaccination; or
2. 
If the animal is not immediately revaccinated, it shall be confined in strict isolation in a kennel for six months under the supervision of a veterinarian; or
3. 
The animal shall be destroyed if the owner or keeper does not comply with subsections 1 or 2 above.
(Ord. 22212 § 23, 1980-09-30)
Upon any outbreak of rabies or when rabies has been diagnosed within the City of Tacoma, and when, in the judgment of the Health Officer, there is imminent danger of the spread of the disease, the Health Officer shall publish a notice to that effect in the official newspaper of the City of Tacoma for three successive days. For a period of six weeks following the final publication of said notice, the owner or keeper of a dog shall keep said dog securely confined at all times by leash or in a tight enclosure from which said dog cannot escape. During said period, any dog found running at large in the City of Tacoma shall be impounded and, unless claimed and redeemed by its owner within two days following such impounding, may be destroyed by the proper authorities. Any person charged with the enforcement of this chapter may destroy any dog found running at large within the City of Tacoma when, after reasonable effort, he is unable to impound said dog, or after reasonable investigation he is unable to locate the owner or keeper thereof. The Health Officer shall have authority to extend said six-week period for additional six-week periods by notice given in the manner provided above until in his judgment the imminent danger of the spread of the disease is no longer present.
(Ord. 22212 § 23, 1980-09-30)
Any person, firm, or corporation violating any of the provisions of this chapter shall, upon conviction thereof, be fined in an amount not exceeding $1,000.00 or incarcerated for a period not exceeding six months, or both such fine and imprisonment.
(Ord. 22212 § 23, 1980-09-30; Ord. 23600 § 17, 1986-04-29)
The Health Officer is hereby authorized and directed to develop a quarantine program for dogs, cats, and other household pets, and to otherwise develop procedures for the enforcement of this chapter.
(Ord. 22212 § 23, 1980-09-30)