Chapter 6.28
RABIES CONTROL

Sections:

6.28.010    Administration.

6.28.020    Vaccination required.

6.28.030    Vaccination required for licensing.

6.28.040    Transmittal of vaccination certificate.

6.28.050    Procedures when rabies is suspected.

6.28.060    Biting animals--Isolation.

6.28.070    Biting animals--Isolation.

6.28.080    Applicability of statutory provisions.

6.28.090    Capture of wild animals prohibited.

6.28.010 Administration.

A.    The health officer shall exercise general supervision and control over those portions of the animal control program related to rabies control.

B.    The animal control officer shall, in addition to continued cooperation with the health officer in this area, provide adequate time in which the health officer shall instruct the animal control officer, deputies and assistants in the detection and control of rabies. (Ord. 459 §601, 1970)

6.28.020 Vaccination required.

It is unlawful for any person to keep, harbor or control within the incorporated area of the city any dog over the age of four months if such dog has not been vaccinated as provided in this title. (Ord. 459 §602, 1970)

6.28.030 Vaccination required for licensing.

The animal control officer shall not issue license tags for any dog until it has been vaccinated with an antirabies vaccine, administered by a licensed veterinarian. (Ord. 459 §603, 1970)

6.28.040 Transmittal of vaccination certificate.

A.    Any person who vaccinates a dog with antirabies vaccine shall provide the county animal control director with a copy of each official rabies vaccination certificate within thirty days after vaccination.

B.    Any person violating the requirements of this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be punished by a fine of not more than five hundred dollars, or by imprisonment in the county jail for a period of not more than six months, or by both such fine and imprisonment. (Ord. 682 §2, 1988)

6.28.050 Procedures when rabies is suspected.

A.    Any person having knowledge of the whereabouts of an animal or the carcass of an animal known to have or suspected of having rabies shall immediately notify the animal control officer.

B.    Any person having such information who refuses to disclose the same after demand therefor by the officer, the animal control officer, or their deputies, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and punishable as provided in this title.

C.    When notified of the whereabouts of such an animal, the animal control officer shall notify the health officer who shall direct the animal control officer as to the immediate disposition of the animal and shall thereafter cause an inspection or examination of such animal to be made until the existence or nonexistence of rabies in such animal is established such animal shall be kept isolated in a pound, veterinary hospital or other adequate facility, in a manner approved by the health officer and shall not be killed, released or disposed of in any manner except on direction of the health officer.

D.    The health officer or his duly authorized representative is authorized and empowered upon reasonable evidence that an animal with symptoms of rabies is present to enter upon private property where any dog or other animal is kept or believed by him to be kept for the purpose of ascertaining whether such dog or other animal is afflicted or infected with rabies. (Ord. 459 §604, 1970)

6.28.060 Biting animals--Isolation.

A.    The health officer shall be notified when any person is bitten by an animal of a species subject to rabies, whether or not the animal is suspected of having rabies.

B.    Any animal which bites or otherwise exposes a person or other animal shall, in the discretion of the health officer, be isolated for such time and under such conditions as may be directed by the health officer. (Ord. 459 §605, 1970)

6.28.070 Recovery of costs of impounding.

The costs of impounding any animal, when such impounding is ordered by the health officer, shall be a proper charge against the funds budgeted for animal control; provided, however, that in the case of rabies, where it cannot be proven that a dog so impounded has been vaccinated against rabies as required by law, then the owner of such dog shall pay all expenses of such impounding. (Ord. 459 §606, 1970)

6.28.080 Applicability of statutory provisions.

Notwithstanding the provisions of this chapter, the provisions of the Health and Safety Code and Administrative Code of the state relating to rabies shall control when the provisions are more stringent than those provided in this chapter. (Ord. 459 §607, 1970)

6.28.090 Capture of wild animals prohibited.

No person shall trap or capture wild animals of a species subject to rabies within the incorporated area of this city for the purpose of selling the animals alive for profit unless the person first files with the health officer a complete statement of such contemplated activities and thereafter complies with such rules and regulations relating to rabies control as may be prescribed by the health officer. (Ord. 459 §905, 1970)