6.20.070 Management of animals that bite humans.
A. Quarantine. An apparently healthy dog, cat, or ferret that bites a person or another animal shall be quarantined and the following provisions shall apply:
1. The animal shall be observed for a period of not less than ten days by the division and/or the health department, and the owner of the animal shall be responsible for the cost of such quarantine.
2. The normal place for such quarantine shall be the division’s animal shelter; however, other arrangements suitable to the division’s director may be made for the period of observation specified herein upon the condition that the biting animal had a current rabies vaccination at the time the bite was inflicted.
3. A person having custody of an animal under quarantine at a place other than the division’s animal shelter shall immediately notify the division if the animal shows any signs of sickness or abnormal behavior, or if the animal escapes from quarantine.
4. It is unlawful for any person who has custody of a quarantined animal to fail or refuse to allow an officer of the division, the health department or a veterinarian designated by them to make an inspection or examination of the animal during and/or at the end of the period of quarantine.
5. If the quarantined animal dies within ten days from the date of the bite for which the animal was quarantined, the person having custody of said animal shall immediately notify the division of such fact and immediately deliver the animal to that person’s veterinarian or the division for the removal and delivery of the head of said animal to a laboratory specified by the State Department of Health for examination for rabies.
6. At the end of the quarantine period, the director or designee shall examine the quarantined animal and if no sign of rabies is present in the animal, the animal may be released to its owner. Stray animals shall be disposed of as provided in Section 6.28.050.
7. If, during the quarantine, the animal exhibits symptoms of rabies, it shall be immediately destroyed and tested.
8. Any stray or unwanted dog, cat or ferret that bites a person may be euthanized immediately and submitted for rabies examination, if an immediate examination is determined necessary by the director or the health department.
B. Other Animals. Animals other than dogs, cats, or ferrets that might have exposed a person to rabies shall be reported immediately to the division and the health department. Case management will be a collaborative effort between the health department and the division. (Ord. 2018-06 § 1 (Exh. A (part)); Ord. 2012-12 § 2 (Exh. A (part)))