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Sec. 8-96. - Vaccinations.#
(a)
Vaccination required for dogs over six months old. No dog over six months old shall be permitted within the city limits unless such dog shall have been vaccinated or immunized, in the manner set forth in this article, within a period of 12 months, if such dog shall have been vaccinated or immunized with the one-year vaccine, or within a period of 24 months, if such dog shall have been vaccinated or immunized by the three-year vaccine.
(b)
Use of approved vaccine; certification. The vaccination or immunization referred to in subsection (a) of this article shall be by a vaccine approved by the state department of health and shall be certified to by a licensed veterinarian. Such certificate shall be dated as of the date of inoculation or vaccination, shall show the rabies tag number, the sex and breed of the dog, and the owner thereof, and whether the vaccine given is the one-year vaccine or the two-year vaccine, together with such other information as may reasonably be required by the health officer of the veterinarian administering the same.
(c)
Certificate of vaccination prerequisite to license. No license shall be issued for any dog required to be licensed in the city unless the person making application thereafter shall first present to the city clerk a current certificate of vaccination or inoculation, as provided in this article for the dog for which such license in requested. Such certificate shall certify that the dog for which the license is to be issued has been properly vaccinated or inoculated in accordance with the provisions of this article.
(Code 1994, § 8-38; Ord. No. 96-003-O, 5-13-1996; Ord. of 12-14-1998; Ord. of 9-29-2014(1))
Sec. 8-97. - Owning unvaccinated dog, cat or ferret.#
It shall be unlawful for any person to own, keep or harbor any dog, cat or ferret over four months old within the city, unless such animal shall have been vaccinated or inoculated in accordance with the provisions of this article. Any person violating the provisions of this section shall be fined not less than $200.00 for each offense.
(Code 1994, § 8-39; Ord. No. 96-004-O, 5-13-1996; Ord. of 9-29-2014(1))
Sec. 8-98. - Impoundment of unvaccinated dogs.#
Any dog over six months old found within the limits if the city without evidence that such dog has been vaccinated or inoculated in accordance with the provisions of this article shall be impounded by any police officer of the city or other authorized person for a period not exceeding five days, during which time such dog may be returned to its owner upon proof of ownership, vaccination of the dog and payment by such owner of the fees provided in this section. At the expiration of the five-day period, any dog not so claimed by its owner shall be disposed of in accordance with this section.
(Code 1994, § 8-40; Ord. No. 96-008-O, 5-13-1996; Ord. of 12-14-1998; Ord. of 9-29-2014(1))
Sec. 8-99. - Quarantine procedure.#
(a)
Every animal that bites a person shall be promptly reported to the animal control officer. Such animal shall thereupon be securely quarantined at the discretion of the animal control officer, for a period of ten days, and it shall not be released from such quarantine except by written permission of the animal control officer. At the discretion of the animal control officer, such quarantine may be on the premises of the owner, at the shelter designated as the dog pound or, at the owner's option and expense, in a veterinary hospital of his choice. In the case of stray animals or animals whose ownership is not known, such quarantine shall be at the shelter designated by the animal control officer. It shall be the duty of the animal owner to contact the animal control officer for a release from the quarantine.
(b)
The owner, upon demand by the animal control officer, shall forthwith surrender any animal that has bitten a human or is suspected as having been exposed to rabies for supervised quarantine, the expense of which shall be borne by the owner. Such animal may be reclaimed by the owner if it is adjudged free of rabies, upon payment of fees as established by the city.
(c)
When rabies has been diagnosed in an animal under quarantine or is suspected by a licensed veterinarian and the animal dies while under such observation, the animal control officer shall immediately send the head of such animal to the state health department for pathological examination and shall notify the director of environmental control of reports of human contacts and the diagnosis.
(d)
When one or both reports indicate a positive diagnosis of rabies, the animal control officer shall recommend an area-wide quarantine for a period of 90 days. During such quarantine period no animal shall be taken into the streets or permitted to be in the streets, nor shall any animal be taken or shipped from the city without written permission of the animal control officer.
(e)
During the quarantine period and as long afterward as the animal control officer decides it is necessary to prevent the spread of rabies, the city shall require all dogs three months of age end older to be vaccinated against rabies with a canine rabies vaccine approved by the biologies control section of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The types of approved canine antirabies vaccine to be used and the recognized duration of immunity for each shall be established by the city. All vaccinated dogs shall be restricted (leashing or confinement on enclosed premises) for 30 days after vaccination. During the quarantine period, the city shall be empowered to provide for a program of mass immunization by the establishment of temporary emergency canine rabies vaccination clinics strategically located throughout the city.
(f)
No dog that has been impounded by reason of its being a stray, unclaimed by its owner, is allowed to be claimed during the period of the rabies emergency quarantine, except by special authorization of the animal control officer.
(g)
Dogs or other animals bitten by a known rabid animal shall be immediately destroyed or, if the owner is unwilling to destroy the exposed animal, strict isolation of the animal in a kennel for six months shall be enforced. If the dog or other animal has been previously vaccinated within the time limits established by the city, based on the kind of vaccine used, revaccination and restraint (leashing and confinement) for 30 days shall be carried out.
(h)
If there are additional positive cases of rabies occurring during the period of quarantine, such period of quarantine may be extended for an additional six months.
(i)
No person shall kill or cause to be killed any rabid animal, any animal suspected of having been exposed to rabies or any animal having bitten a human, except as provided in this article, nor shall such animal be removed from the city limits without written permission from the animal control officer.
(j)
The carcass of any dead animal exposed to rabies shall, upon demand, be surrendered to the animal control officer. The animal control officer shall direct the disposition of any animal found to be infected with rabies.
(k)
No person shall fail or refuse to surrender any animal for quarantine or destruction as required in this section when demand is made therefor by the animal control officer.
(Code 1994, § 8-42; Ord. of 12-14-1998; Ord. of 9-29-2014(1))
Sec. 8-100. - Reports of bite cases.#
It shall be the duty of every physician or other medical practitioner to report to the animal control officer at the police department the names and addresses of persons treated for bites inflicted by animals, together with such other information as will be helpful in rabies control.
(Code 1994, § 8-43; Ord. of 12-14-1998; Ord. of 9-29-2014(1))
Sec. 8-101. - Veterinarians to report rabies suspects.#
It shall be the duty of every licensed veterinarian to report to the animal control officer any animal considered to be a rabies suspect.
(Code 1994, § 8-43.1; Ord. of 12-14-1998; Ord. of 9-29-2014(1))