§ 6-9. Animal bites; taking up and observing.

(a)

The owner of a dog or cat, which has bitten, scratched or attacked a person, dog or other animal, shall be notified of the incident and shall cause such animal to be immediately quarantined at the owner's expense for a period of not less than ten days in the city animal shelter or a city veterinary hospital operated by a duly licensed veterinarian. A fee shall be charged for each day of confinement at the animal shelter when an animal is under observation in bite cases. This boarding fee shall be assessed in accordance with section 6-46. Refusal or failure to produce said dog or other animal constitutes a violation of this section and each day of such refusal or failure shall constitute a separate individual violation.

(b)

The animal control supervisor may authorize a dog or cat owner's request for home quarantine subject to the following requirements:

(1)

Secure facilities are available at the owner's home.

(2)

The animal has a current vaccination against rabies.

(3)

The animal was not a stray or otherwise wandering loose or at large when the bite occurred.

(4)

A licensed veterinarian must examine the dog on the first day and the last day of the ten-day quarantine period.

(5)

The animal control division or humane officer must be advised immediately if the dog becomes sick or a change in its condition develops.

(c)

Dogs owned by the city and used actively by the police department in police work are exempt from the confinement requirements of this section if the bite incident occurs while the dog is actively involved in police work. However, such animals will be subject to examination on the day of the bite and ten days after the day of the bite by a veterinarian licensed to practice in the state. Should the police dog become sick or noticeably different in behavior, the police officer responsible for the dog shall report such a change in behavior to his immediate superior who shall have the dog examined immediately by a veterinarian. The veterinarian will notify the animal control division of his findings concerning the dog. Should the dog become mortally injured or die during the ten-day period after the bite, it shall be delivered to the animal control division.

(d)

Any person who is the keeper or who has custody or control of an animal shall be deemed the owner for purposes of this section. If it is determined by a veterinarian that an animal shows clinical signs of rabies, the animal shall be destroyed.

(e)

If the animal dies or is destroyed while in quarantine, the local health authority shall remove the head or brain of the animal and submit it to the nearest state department of health laboratory for testing. If a veterinarian determines that the quarantined animal does not show the clinical signs of rabies, the local health authority or humane officer shall release it to the owner if all requirements of section 6-46 and article III of this chapter have been met.

(f)

The owner of an animal that is quarantined under this article shall pay to the local health authority or city the reasonable costs of the quarantine and the disposition of the animal as set out herein and the local health authority or city may bring suit to collect those costs. The local health authority or humane officer shall destroy an animal that the owner or custodian does not take possession of on or before the third day following the final day of the quarantine.

(Ord. No. 03-11, § 3-32, 9-25-2003)

State law reference

Reports of exposure to rabies, V.T.C.A., Health and Safety Code § 826.041.