The text
13-601. - Animal Rabies Vaccination Requirements.#
All dogs, cats, or other animals susceptible to rabies for which a federally approved vaccine is available shall be vaccinated at six (6) months of age by a licensed veterinarian or rabies clinic. Every dog shall be revaccinated every twenty-four (24) months and every cat revaccinated every twelve (12) months thereafter. Any unvaccinated dog or cat over six (6) months of age adopted or brought into the jurisdiction must likewise be vaccinated initially. Thereafter valid vaccination must be maintained.
13-602. - Exception for Transient Animals.#
The provisions of this Title with respect to vaccination shall not apply to any animal owned by a person temporarily remaining within the jurisdictions for less than thirty (30) days. Such animals shall be kept under strict supervision of the owner. It is unlawful to bring any animal into the jurisdiction, which does not comply with the animal health laws and import regulations.
13-603. - Vaccination Certification and Tags.#
(1)
It shall be the duty of each veterinarian, when vaccinating any animal for rabies, to complete a certificate of rabies vaccination, in duplicate, which includes the following information:
(a)
Owner's name and address;
(b)
Description of the animal;
(c)
Date of vaccination;
(d)
Rabies vaccination tag number;
(e)
Type of vaccine administered; and
(f)
Manufacturer's serial number of vaccine.
(2)
A copy of the certificate shall be distributed to the owner of the animal, and the original retained by the issuing veterinarian. The veterinarian and the owner shall retain their copies of the certificate for the interval between vaccinations specified in this Title.
(3)
Additionally, a metal or durable plastic rabies vaccination tag, serially numbered, shall be securely attached to the collar or harness of the animal. An animal not wearing such a tag shall be deemed to be unvaccinated and may be impounded and dealt with pursuant to this Title.
13-604. - Impoundment of Animals Without Valid Vaccination Tags.#
(1)
Any vaccinated animal impounded because of a lack of a rabies vaccination tag may be reclaimed by its owner by furnishing proof of a rabies vaccination and payment of all impoundment fees, as per the fee resolution, prior to release.
(2)
Any unvaccinated animal may be reclaimed prior to disposal by payment of impound fees and by obtaining a rabies vaccination within seventy-two (72) hours of release.
(3)
Any animal not reclaimed within the prescribed period of time shall be disposed of pursuant to provisions of Section 13-503.
13-605. - Animal Bites — Duty to Report.#
(1) Any person having knowledge of any individual or animal having been bitten by an animal of a species subject to rabies, shall report the incident immediately to the Tremonton Animal Control or Tremonton Police Department.
(2) The owner of an animal that bites a person, and any person bitten by an animal, shall report the bite to the Tremonton Animal Control or the Tremonton Police Department within twenty-four (24) hours of the bite, regardless of whether or not the biting animal is of a species subject to rabies.
(3) A physician or other medical personnel who renders professional treatment for, or having knowledge of, any individual being bitten, scratched, or involved in an exposure to any possible zoonotic disease (from any animal) including but not limited to Rabies, shall report the fact that he has rendered professional treatment to the Tremonton Animal Control or the Tremonton Police Department within twenty-four (24) hours of his first professional attendance. He/she shall report the name, sex and address of the person bitten, as well as the type and location of the bite. If known, he shall give the name and address of the owner of the animal that inflicted the bite, and any other facts that may assist Animal Control or the Police Department.
(4) Any person treating an animal bitten, injured or mauled by another animal shall report the incident to the Tremonton Animal Control or the Tremonton Police Department. The report shall contain the name and address of the owner of the wounded, injured or bitten animal, the name and address of the owner and description of the animal which caused the injury, and the location of the incident.
(5) Any person not conforming with the requirements of this Chapter shall be in violation of this ordinance.
13-606. - Quarantine and Disposition of Biting or Rabid Animals.#
(1)
Quarantining and Disposition of Biting or Rabid Animals.
(a)
An animal that has rabies or which is reasonably believed to have rabies, and every non-human mammal bitten by another animal reasonably believed to have rabies shall immediately be confined to a secure place by the custodian. The custodian shall turn over the animal to the Division upon demand.
(b)
The custodian of any animal of a species subject to rabies which has been bitten by another animal reasonably believed to have rabies shall surrender the animal to an authorized Division or Bear River Health Department or Utah State Department of Health official upon demand.
(i)
Any person authorized to enforce this Title may enter upon private property to seize an animal that has rabies or reasonably believed to have rabies; if the custodian refuses to surrender the animal, the officer may obtain a search warrant or court order authorizing seizure and impoundment of the animal as allowed by law.
(c)
Any animal of a species subject to rabies that bites a person or animal which is reasonably believed to have rabies may be seized and quarantined for observation for a period of not less than ten (10) days by the Division and/or the Bear River Health Department. The custodian of the animal shall bear the costs of quarantine. The Tremonton City Animal Shelter shall be the normal place for quarantine, but other arrangements, including confinement by the custodian, may be made or approved by the Animal Services Director and/or the Director of Bear River Health Department if the animal had a current rabies vaccination at the time the bite was inflicted or if there are other special circumstances justifying the exception.
A person who has custody of an animal under quarantine shall immediately notify the Division if the animal shows any signs of sickness or abnormal behavior, or if the animal escapes confinement. It shall be unlawful for any person who has custody of a quarantined animal to fail or refuse to allow a Health Department or Division officer to make an inspection of the animal during the period of quarantine. If the animal dies within ten (10) days from the date of the bite, the person having custody of the animal shall immediately notify the Division. If, at the end of the ten (10)-day period, the Director of Animal Services examines the animal and finds no sign of rabies, the animal may be released to the custodian, or, in the case of a stray, it shall be disposed of as provided in Section 13-503.
(d)
Any wild or feral animal that bites or scratches a person or animal or that is suspected of having rabies may be seized and euthanized for examination of rabies pursuant to Utah Department of Health rules and regulations.
(2)
Unvaccinated Bitten Animals.
(a)
In the case of an unvaccinated animal species subject to rabies which is known or reasonably suspected to have been bitten, scratched by or otherwise exposed to a known rabid animal, said bitten or exposed animal shall be immediately destroyed.
(b)
If the custodian or owner is unwilling to destroy the bitten or exposed animal, the animal shall be immediately isolated and quarantined for six (6) months under veterinary supervision, the cost of such quarantine to be paid by the custodian. The animal shall be destroyed if the custodian does not comply herewith. The custodian shall immediately notify the Division of the location of the place of quarantine, and shall immediately notify the Division if the animal is moved.
(3)
Vaccinated Bitten Animals.
(a)
If an animal which is known or is reasonably suspected to have been bitten or exposed by a known rabid animal, has been vaccinated, the animal shall be revaccinated within twenty-four (24) hours and quarantined for a period of thirty (30) days following re-vaccination; or
(b)
If the animal is not re-vaccinated within twenty-four (24) hours, the animal shall be isolated and quarantined under veterinary supervision for six (6) months;
(c)
The animal shall be destroyed if the custodian does not comply with items Subsection (a) or (b) above.
(4)
Removal of Quarantined Animal. It shall be unlawful for any person to remove any such animal from the place of quarantine without written permission from the Division.
(5)
Rabies or Disease Epidemic. Notwithstanding the other provisions of this section, whenever the Mayor or City Council of Tremonton City, upon the recommendation of the Bear River Health Department, the Animal Services Director, or the Chief of Police, shall determine and declare that any disease epidemic exists within the City by reason of rabies, or for any other disease or cause related to animals, and that it is necessary to protect and preserve the public health and safety, the City Council shall by resolution declare and determine the existence of an epidemic of such disease, and thereupon it shall be the duty of the Director and the Chief of Police of the City when so directed by the City Council, and until such time as it may be determined by the City Council that such disease epidemic no longer exists, to immediately destroy or cause to be destroyed, in the event such epidemic is one of rabies, any dog or dogs which may have bitten any person or persons, dog or dogs, or other animal or animals, or which in the judgment of an officer of the Bear River Health Department is suffering from the disease of rabies, and to immediately destroy, or cause to be immediately destroyed, the dog(s) and such other animal or animals, during the existence of such epidemic, which are declared to be an imminent menace to the public health and safety. During the continuance of such epidemic any person or persons owning any dog(s) within the City shall keep such dog muzzled at all times while it is at large, and any dog(s) un-muzzled and running at large upon any of the public streets, lane, alleys, or other public place of the City during the epidemic shall be impounded and destroyed whether or not such dog(s) be suffering from rabies. Any member of the Animal Services Division or the Police Department is authorized to enforce the provisions hereof.
13-607. - Duty to Report Bites.#
(1)
The custodian of an animal that bites a person and any person bitten by an animal having knowledge of such bite shall report the bite to the Tremonton Police Department within twenty-four (24) hours of the bite, regardless of whether or not the biting animal is of a species subject to rabies.
(2)
If any animal bites or attacks a person or another animal and thereby causes death, a puncture wound or laceration requiring medical attention, such animal may be immediately impounded by the Division without a court order if otherwise allowed by law, and held at the custodian's expense pending court action. Any such animal may be deemed a vicious or dangerous animal as per Section 13-504. The Animal Services Division shall promptly serve notice upon the owner and custodian of the animal's impoundment.
(3)
The custodian and owner of any animal which bites a person or another person's animal shall promptly provide to such person the name and address of the custodian and (if a different person) the owner, proof of the biting animal's rabies vaccination, and shall provide in writing to the person who was bitten, or if that person is a minor, then to the parent or guardian of the minor, or to the custodian of the animal which was bitten, any information about the custodian and owner's insurance which might cover the treatment and injury, and any information about the biting animal's likelihood of having rabies.