§ 10-107. Rabies control.

(a)

Enforcement authority. The animal control director and the county health director are authorized to enforce the rabies control provisions in G.S. ch. 130A, part 6 and are further authorized to implement any reasonable administrative procedures necessary to enforce this state law locally.

(b)

Impoundment term. The impoundment period for animals held pursuant to this section shall be 72 hours, excluding Sundays and legal holidays.

(c)

Compliance with rabies law. It shall be unlawful for any animal owner or other person to fail to comply with the state laws relating to the control of rabies.

(d)

Provisions supplementary to state law. It is the purpose of this section to supplement the state laws by providing a procedure for the enforcement of state laws relating to rabies control, in addition to the criminal penalties provided by the state law.

(e)

Vaccination required. It shall be unlawful for an owner or keeper to fail to provide current vaccination against rabies (hydrophobia) for any dog, cat or ferret four months of age or older. Should the county health director deem it necessary that other pets be vaccinated in order to prevent a threatened rabies epidemic or control an existing rabies epidemic, it shall be unlawful for an owner or keeper to fail to provide vaccination for that pet.

(f)

Vaccination schedule. A rabies vaccination shall be deemed current for a dog, cat or ferret if the first two doses of vaccine are administered 12 months apart and each subsequent booster dose of vaccine is administered according to the manufacturer's recommended schedule.

(g)

Persons to administer; issuance of a certificate. All rabies vaccines shall be administered by a licensed veterinarian, a registered veterinary technician under the direct supervision of a licensed veterinarian, or a certified rabies vaccinator. A person who administers a rabies vaccine shall complete a rabies vaccination certificate in such form as is approved by the animal control director pursuant to the regulations of the commission for public health. An original rabies vaccination certificate shall be given to the owner of the animal that receives the rabies vaccine. A copy of the rabies vaccination certificate shall be retained by the licensed veterinarian or the certified rabies vaccinator. A copy shall also be given to the animal control director.

(h)

Owner or keeper to be issued rabies tag. Upon vaccination pursuant to this section, the owner or keeper of the dog, cat or ferret that has been vaccinated shall be issued a rabies tag stamped with a number and the yard for which issued and a rabies vaccination certificate.

(i)

Unlawful for dog, cat or ferret not to wear rabies tag. It shall be unlawful for any dog, cat or ferret owner or keeper to fail to provide the dog, cat or ferret with a collar or harness to which a current rabies tag issued under this section is securely attached. The collar or harness, with the attached tag, must be worn at all times the animal is off its owner's property.

(j)

Untagged dog, cat or ferret subject to impoundment. In addition to all other penalties prescribed by law, a dog, cat or ferret may immediately be impounded in accordance with the provisions of this section if it is found off its owner's or keeper's property not wearing a currently valid rabies tag.

(k)

Unlawful to switch rabies tag. It shall be unlawful for any person to use for any animal a rabies vaccination tag issued for an animal other than the one assigned the tag.

(l)

Dogs, cats or ferrets brought into county. All dogs, cats or ferrets shipped or otherwise brought into the territorial jurisdiction of this chapter, except for exhibition purposes where the dogs, cats or ferrets are confined and not permitted to run at-large, shall be securely confined and vaccinated within one week after entry, and shall remain confined for two additional weeks after vaccination, unless accompanied by a certificate issued by a licensed veterinarian showing the dog, cat or ferret is apparently free from rabies and has not been exposed to rabies and that the dog, cat or ferret has received a proper dose of rabies vaccine not more than six months prior to the date of issuing the certificate.

(m)

Animals exposed to rabies.

(1)

If the animal control director determines that an animal has not been vaccinated against rabies at least 28 days prior to being exposed to rabies from a suspected rabid animal, the animal shall be immediately euthanized unless the owner or keeper agrees to strict isolation of the animal at a veterinary hospital for a period of six months at the owner's or keeper's expense.

(2)

If the animal control director determines that an animal with a current rabies vaccination has been exposed to rabies from a suspected rabid animal, it shall be revaccinated and returned to the owner or keeper who shall be responsible for the cost of the rabies vaccination.

(n)

Health director may declare quarantine. When reports indicate a positive diagnosis of rabies, to the extent that the lives of persons are endangered, the county health director may declare a county-wide quarantine for such period of time as he deems necessary. Once such emergency quarantine is declared, no dog, cat or ferret may be taken or shipped from the county without written permission of the county health director. During such quarantine, the county health director, the animal control director, law enforcement officers, or other persons duly authorized by the county health director or animal control director may seize and impound any dog, cat or ferret running at-large in the county. During the quarantine period, the county health director shall be empowered to provide for a program of mass immunization by the establishment of temporary emergency rabies vaccination facilities strategically located throughout the county. If additional confirmed cases of rabies occur during the quarantine period, the county health director, in his discretion, may extend the quarantine period.

(o)

Carcass to be surrendered to health department. The carcass of any animal suspected of dying of rabies, or dying while under observation for rabies, shall be submitted to the county health department for the implementation of appropriate diagnostic procedures.

(p)

Unlawful to kill or release animal under observation. It shall be unlawful for any person to kill or release any animal under observation for rabies, any animal under observation for biting a human, or to remove such animal from the county without written permission from the county health director, provided that a licensed veterinarian or the county health director or other person duly authorized by the county health director may authorize any animal to be killed for rabies diagnosis.

(q)

Unlawful to fail to surrender animal. It shall be unlawful for any person to fail or refuse to surrender any animal for confinement or destruction as required in this article, when demand is made therefor by the county health director, the animal control director or any law enforcement officer.

(r)

Unlawful to fail to provide proof of vaccination. It shall be unlawful for any person to fail or refuse to provide proof of rabies vaccination for any animal that they own or control when request is made therefor by the animal control director or his designee, the county health director or his designee, or any sworn law enforcement officer.

(s)

Animals subject to impoundment. Any animal which appears to be lost, stray, unwanted, not wearing a currently valid tax tag or a currently valid rabies vaccination tag as required by state law or this section, or not under restraint in violation of this chapter, may be seized, impounded and confined in a humane manner in the department's shelter. Any dog or cat that has bitten or scratched a human must be quarantined for ten days, either at the home of its owner or keeper, if an animal control officer determines that the public health and safety shall be reasonably maintained by such quarantine, or otherwise in the department's shelter or in a veterinary hospital at such owner's or keeper's expense. If such dog, cat or ferret is quarantined at the home of its owner or keeper and escapes, any animal control officer shall impound such dog, cat or ferret at the department's shelter for ten days.

(t)

Owner liable. Impoundment of such animal shall not relieve the owner/keeper thereof from any penalty which may be imposed for violation of this section.

(u)

Disposition of infected animals. The county health director shall direct the disposition of any animal found to be infected with rabies.

(Ord. of 3-11-2015, § 10-40)