Vaccination tags shall be firmly attached to
the dog's collar and shall be worn at all times when the dog is not
on the owner's or custodian's property or in the immediate control
of some responsible person.
Any dog found in the City not vaccinated and not wearing an authentic vaccination tag as provided for in §
115-27 of this chapter shall be impounded by the official charged with enforcing this article for a period of five days. The owner of any such dog may secure the release of his dog by producing proof of ownership and having such dog properly vaccinated and paying the costs of impounding and caring for any such dog. At the expiration of such five-day period, any dog not so claimed by its owner or custodian may be disposed of by giving it into the possession of any person who may be willing to pay for the cost of vaccination and impounding, and if not so disposed of, any such dog may be killed in a humane manner by the officer and/or holding facility enforcing this article.
In order to effectuate the provisions of this article, any person making application for a dog license under the provisions of Article
III of this chapter shall be required to present to the official charged with the sale of dog licenses a certificate of rabies vaccination properly executed and signed by a licensed veterinarian certifying that the dog in question has been vaccinated in accordance with the provisions of this article, and when the dog license has been issued, the certificate of vaccination shall be so marked and returned to the applicant; provided, however, that if the Treasurer has been provided with information provided by the Animal Control Officer confirming that the rabies vaccination has not expired, then no such certificate shall be required.
All animal bites of human beings shall be reported
to the Health Department and persons charged with enforcing articles
of this chapter within 24 hours after their occurrence. Such report
shall include the name and address of the person bitten, the owner
of the biting animal, and a reasonable description of such animal.
The responsibility of so reporting is mutually charged to attending
physicians, veterinarians, owners of the biting animals, the person
bitten, and any other persons who may have knowledge of this fact.
All animals biting or otherwise injuring human
beings or animals shall be immediately placed under quarantine for
a minimal period of 10 days. The area and conditions of quarantine
shall be designated by the Health Director or his duly authorized
deputy. When suitable quarantine cannot be maintained by the owner,
the animal shall be removed to a suitable pound and there be quarantined
at the expense of the owner. All animals bitten by rabid animals,
or suspiciously rabid animals, shall either be destroyed or, if previously
vaccinated in a manner satisfactory to the Health Director, may be
held under quarantine for a minimal period of 45 days.
When in the judgment of the Health Director
an emergency shall be deemed to exist in the City or any part of the
county due to a widespread rabies epizootic, for the protection of
the public, the Health Director may declare a quarantine in the City
and restrict all dogs to the owners' premises and/or to the immediate
custody of some responsible person for the duration of such emergency
as is set forth in such order of quarantine.
The provisions of §§
115-26 through
115-31 of this chapter shall be applicable to cats, except as follows:
A. Collars, licenses and vaccination tags need not be
displayed on cats, but any cat found off the premises of the owner
and not under the owner's immediate control shall be presumed an unvaccinated
stray and in violation of this article.
B. Cats brought into the City from another jurisdiction
for a period of not exceeding 30 days are exempt from this article,
provided that such cats remain confined at all times.
C. The owner of a cat found off the owner's premises
and not under the immediate control of the owner must display evidence
of compliance with this article upon request of the Animal Control
Officer or any law enforcement officer or health official.