§ 6.04.060. Rabies control.

A.

Control of rabies and rabid animals.

1.

Required vaccination for rabies.

a.

The owner or custodian of a dog or cat four months of age or over shall have the animal vaccinated for rabies within thirty days after it reaches this age.

b.

Unvaccinated dogs or cats over four months of age, which are acquired by the owner or brought into the city, shall be vaccinated within thirty days of acquisition or of being moved into the city.

c.

Every dog shall be re-vaccinated every twenty-four months and every cat shall be re-vaccinated every twelve months with a modified virus rabies vaccine approved by the Utah County Health Department. These time periods may be extended if the animal receives a rabies vaccination that lasts for a period longer than that provided in this section, and if the owner maintains and produces evidence of that vaccination.

d.

This provision shall not apply to veterinarians or kennel operators temporarily maintaining on their premises animals owned by others, provided said animals are not kept for more than thirty days.

2.

Animals in city less than thirty days. The provisions of this section with respect to vaccination shall not apply to any animal remaining within the city for less than thirty days. Such animals shall be kept under strict supervision of the owner. It shall be unlawful to bring any animal into the city that does not comply with all applicable animal health laws and import regulations.

3.

Duty of veterinarians. 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 animal:

(1)

Breed.

(2)

Sex.

(3)

Markings.

(4)

Age.

(5)

Name.

c.

Date of vaccination.

d.

Rabies vaccination tag number.

e.

Type of rabies vaccine administered.

f.

Manufacturer's serial number of vaccine.

4.

Rabies certificate and tag. A copy of the above-referenced certificate shall be distributed to the owner 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 section. 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 tag shall be deemed to be unvaccinated and may be impounded and dealt with pursuant to the provisions of this chapter.

B.

Quarantine and disposition of biting or rabid animals.

1.

Duty to report. An animal that has rabies or shows signs of having rabies, and every animal bitten by another animal affected with rabies or that has been exposed to rabies, shall be reported by the owner or custodian of such animal and shall immediately be confined in a secure place by the owner or custodian.

2.

Duty to surrender. The owner of any animal of a species subject to rabies, which has bitten another animal or person, shall immediately surrender the animal to an authorized official upon demand. Any person authorized to enforce the provisions of this chapter may enter upon private property to seize the animal. If the owner refuses to surrender the animal, the officer shall immediately obtain a search warrant authorizing seizure and impoundment of the animal.

3.

Animals suspected of rabies—Quarantine.

a.

Any animal of a species subject to rabies that bites a person or animal or is suspected of having rabies may be seized and quarantined for observation for a period of not less than ten days by an animal regulation officer.

b.

The owner of the animal shall bear the cost of confinement.

c.

The district animal shelter shall be the normal place for quarantine, but other arrangements, including confinement by the owner, may be made by the city police department if the animal had a current rabies vaccination at the time the bite was inflicted or if there are other special circumstances justifying an exception.

d.

A person who has custody of an animal under quarantine shall immediately notify the city police department if the animal shows any signs of sickness or abnormal behavior, or if the animal escapes confinement.

e.

It shall be unlawful for any person who has custody of a quarantined animal to refuse to allow an officer to make an inspection or examination during the period of quarantine.

f.

If the animal dies within ten days from the date of the bite, the person having custody shall immediately notify the city police department or immediately remove and deliver the undamaged and properly packaged and properly refrigerated head to the state health laboratory to be examined for rabies.

g.

If, at the end of the ten-day quarantine period, the city police department examines the animal and finds no sign of rabies, the animal may be released to the owner; or, in the case of a stray, it shall be disposed of as provided in this chapter.

4.

Animals suspected of rabies—If unvaccinated. In the case of an unvaccinated animal of a species subject to rabies which is known to have been bitten by a known rabid animal, the bitten or exposed animal shall be immediately destroyed unless the owner of the animal complies with the following subsection. If the owner is unwilling to destroy the bitten or exposed animal, the animal shall be immediately isolated and quarantined for six months under veterinary supervision, the cost of such confinement to be paid in advance by the owner. The animal shall be destroyed if the owner does not comply herewith.

5.

Animals suspected of rabies—If vaccinated. In the case of a rabies-vaccinated animal, which is known to have been bitten by a known rabid animal, the bitten or exposed animal shall be re-vaccinated within twenty-four hours and quarantined for a period of thirty days following re-vaccination. If the animal is not re-vaccinated within twenty-four hours, the animal shall be isolated and quarantined under veterinary supervision for six months. The animal shall be destroyed if the owner does not comply with this subsection.

6.

Unlawful removal. It shall be unlawful for any person to remove any quarantined animal from the place of quarantine without written permission of the city police department.

(Criminal Code, § 13-1409; Ord. No. 1979-8, § 1(part), 1979; Ord. No. 85-01-01, § 5, 1985; Ord. No. 92-07-26, § 2, 1992; Ord. No. 2005-10-55, § III, 10-25-2005)