The text
Footnotes:
--- (4) --- State Law reference— Treatment and control of rabies, G.L. 1956, § 4-13-29 et seq.
Sec. 10-126. - Required reports of bite cases.#
It shall be the duty of every physician or other medical practitioner to report to the animal control officer or to the police department the names and addresses of persons, and bitten persons treated for bites inflicted by animals, together with such other information as will be helpful in rabies control.
(Code 1982, § 4-13(a); Code 2003, § 10-126)
Sec. 10-127. - Suspect animals.#
(a)
Report. It shall be the duty of every licensed veterinarian to report to the animal control officer any animal considered by such veterinarian to be a rabies suspect.
(b)
Death of animal under quarantine. When rabies has been diagnosed in an animal under quarantine or when rabies is suspected in such an animal by a licensed veterinarian, and the animal dies while under observation, the animal control officer shall immediately send the head of such animal to the state department of environmental management for pathological examination and shall notify the proper health official of reports of human contacts and the diagnoses.
(Code 1982, § 4-13(b), (c); Code 2003, § 10-127)
Sec. 10-128. - Biting of humans; quarantine procedures.#
Every animal which bites a person shall be promptly reported to the animal control officer and shall thereupon be securely quarantined at the direction of the animal control officer or police officer for a period of no less than ten days, and shall not be released from such quarantine except by written permission from the chief of police or the animal control officer. At the discretion of the animal control officer, such quarantine may be on the premises of the owner or at the pound, or at the owner's option and expense, in a veterinary hospital of their choice. In case of stray animals, or of animals whose ownership is not known, such quarantine shall be at the town-designated animal shelter.
(Code 1982, § 4-13(d); Code 2003, § 10-128)
Sec. 10-129. - Surrender of animal; quarantine expenses; reclamation of animal.#
The owner, upon demand by the animal control officer, shall forthwith surrender any animal which has bitten a human, or which 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 determined to be free of rabies, upon payment of the same fees levied upon such animal for the time it is interned at the animal shelter.
(Code 1982, § 4-13(e); Code 2003, § 10-129)