Camarillo Municipal Code Ch. 7.16 Rabies Control

A. Every person that maintains a dog must, within thirty days after such dog attains the age of three months, cause it to be vaccinated by a licensed veterinarian with a vaccine for rabies approved by the State Department of Veterinary Public Health for use in Ventura County.

B. A person owning, harboring, or keeping a dog is not required to vaccinate the dog if the person obtains an exemption, on an annual basis, from the Ventura County health officer in compliance with Health and Safety Code Section 121690(b). Any dog that is not vaccinated pursuant to this section must be vaccinated for rabies within ten days after the disease or disability for which the exemption is based, ends.

(Ord. No. 1193, § 3(Exh. A), 6-22-2022)

A. The director will provide facilities for the rabies vaccination of dogs or arrange for such vaccination at clinics operated by private veterinary groups or associations. Failure to display a valid vaccination certificate upon reasonable demand by the director is prima facie evidence of nonvaccination. No charge, in excess of the actual cost, will be made for vaccination at such facilities or clinics. The vaccination required in this chapter may be obtained either at such facilities or clinics or from a licensed veterinarian of the owner's choice.

B. All licensed veterinarians must report all administered rabies vaccinations and duration of the protection provide by the vaccine to the division, monthly, in accordance with Section 7.16.010B S, and as amended. This includes providing the director, on paper or on in an electronic form approved by the director, the following information:

1. The name, residence address, telephone number and, if known, email address of the animal's owner;

2. The name, age, sex (including spay/neuter status), species, breed, color and, if known, microchip number of the animal;

3. The date on which the vaccination was administered and the duration of the protection provided by the vaccination;

4. The type of vaccination used and its corresponding lot number; and

5. The name and license number of the veterinarian administering the vaccination and the name of the veterinary clinic/hospital at which the vaccination was administered.

(Ord. No. 1193, § 3(Exh. A), 6-22-2022)

The director must place in isolation any animal, licensed or not, which, in the opinion of a licensed veterinarian or the county health officer, displays symptoms suggestive of rabies. Such isolation must be at an animal shelter unless the owner of such animal, with the approval of the county health officer, arranges with a licensed veterinarian for such isolation in a private animal hospital or clinic. Any animal placed in such isolation must be kept strictly confined and under such observation as may be required by the county health officer. Except as otherwise provided in Section 7.16.060, such isolation must continue for at least ten days from the date the symptoms suggestive of rabies are first observed. Such isolation may be continued for a period longer than ten days if, in the opinion of any licensed veterinarian or the county health officer, such longer period is necessary. At the expiration of such isolation period, any animal confined at an animal shelter will be released upon payment of the applicable fee if, in the opinion of any licensed veterinarian or the county health officer, such animal does not have rabies.

(Ord. No. 1193, § 3(Exh. A), 6-22-2022)

A. It is the duty of every licensed veterinarian to report immediately to the director any animal that is diagnosed by the veterinarian as having rabies or which the veterinarian has reason to suspect has rabies.

B. Every person practicing veterinary medicine in the city that vaccinates or directs to be vaccinated any dog or cat with rabies vaccine, must within ten days of the beginning of each month, deliver to the Ventura County Department of Animal Regulation a copy of every rabies immunization certificate issued by such veterinarian during the previous month. The certificate must be legible and contain the following:

1. Name, address, and telephone number of the animal's owner;

2. A description of the dog or cat, including breed, color, sex, age, and applicable microchip number;

3. The date of rabies immunization;

4. The type of rabies vaccine administered;

5. The name of the manufacturer and the lot number of the vaccine used;

6. The veterinarian's name, address, and telephone number stamped, printed or typed on the certificate;

7. The signature of the veterinarian who administered the vaccine or the signature of a person authorized by the veterinarian to sign the certificate.

The director has the right to inspect records of rabies vaccinations during normal business hours.

(Ord. No. 1193, § 3(Exh. A), 6-22-2022)

Every physician or other person that treats any person for a bite inflicted by any animal must report immediately to the county health officer or the director the name and address of each person receiving such treatment, and, upon the request of the county health officer, report to the officer such additional information relating to the bite or treatment as such officer deems helpful in rabies control.

(Ord. No. 1193, § 3(Exh. A), 6-22-2022)

The director will collect from the owner of any animal isolated pursuant to this chapter the applicable isolation fee. In cases where the animal is to be isolated at some place other than the animal shelter, the fee applicable to such isolation must be paid in advance prior to approval by the county health officer or the director of such isolation as an alternative to isolation in the animal shelter.

(Ord. No. 1193, § 3(Exh. A), 6-22-2022)

Any person that, after requesting and obtaining approval for maintaining a biting animal confined and isolated upon such person's private premises, fails for any reason to maintain such animal continuously confined and isolated upon the premises, either inside or inside some enclosure, for the entire applicable period, will be charged with a misdemeanor.

(Ord. No. 1193, § 3(Exh. A), 6-22-2022)