Fontana Municipal Code Art. II Rabies Control

(a) Duty to report animal bites.

(1) It shall be the duty of any person having knowledge that any animal subject to rabies, whether or not the animal is suspected of having rabies, has bitten any human being within the incorporated area of the city to immediately report that fact to the city police department or the designated animal control agency with full information in regards to the incident.

(2) Upon receipt of a report that a person has been bitten by an animal subject to rabies (all warmblooded mammals), any person authorized to enforce the provisions of this section is hereby empowered to enter upon any private property, including the home or residence where the biting animal is kept or has strayed, to inspect and strictly isolate, and to seize and impound if necessary, in a place and manner approved by the animal control officer, any such animal for a period of ten days for dogs and cats, and 14 days for other animals. Excepted are rodents (members of the order Rodentia) and rabbits and hares (members of the order Lagomorpha).

(3) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, the animal control officer may authorize, with the permission of the owner, if known, and other legal restrictions permitting, the euthanasia of a biting animal for the purpose of laboratory examination for rabies using the fluorescent rabies antibody (FRA) test in the county health department laboratory.

(4) It shall be unlawful for any person to remove from any place of isolation or quarantine any animal which has been isolated or quarantined under the provisions of this chapter, without the consent of the animal control officer.

(b) Duty to report suspected rabid animals; quarantine.

(1) It is the duty of any person having knowledge of the whereabouts of an animal known to have or suspected of having rabies to report the fact immediately to the animal control officer. If such person is the owner or possessor or has custody of such animal, he shall immediately confine it and keep such animal strictly confined until it shall be established to the satisfaction of the official that such animal has or does not have rabies. As used in this section, confined means chained in a secure manner.

(2) Where such owner or possessor does not have the proper facility for such confinement or where the owner of such rabid or suspected rabid animal is not known, such animal shall be isolated in strict confinement under proper care and under the observation of a licensed veterinarian in a pound, veterinary hospital, or other adequate facility in a manner approved by the animal control officer, and shall not be killed or released for at least ten days after the onset of symptoms suggestive of rabies. If such animal creates a menace to the public health and safety, the animal control officer or his representative may humanely destroy the animal forthwith and examine it for rabies in the laboratory using the fluorescent rabies antibody (FRA) test in the county health department laboratory.

(3) Whenever any such owned biting animal is quarantined in a place other than the premises of its owner, all expenses incurred in its confinement shall be the liability of the owner, possessor or custodian of such biting animal.

(c) Disposition of animals exposed to rabies.

(1) Any animal that is subject to rabies which has been exposed to a known rabid animal or suspected rabid animal shall, upon notification of its owner, possessor or custodian, be immediately securely confined in a place and manner approved by the animal control officer for a period of six months or immediately destroyed unless the biting animal is determined by laboratory examination to be negative from rabies, except that in the case of dogs and cats, the following alternative is permitted:

a. The dog or cat shall be revaccinated and then quarantined for a period of 30 days, provided such dog or cat has been vaccinated against rabies within two years but not less than 30 days with a rabies vaccine approved by the state department of public health.

b. The animal control officer may, in his discretion, humanely destroy or quarantine the animal so bitten in case the owner, possessor or custodian thereof shall fail to do so immediately, or in case the owner, possessor or custodian thereof is not readily accessible or is not known.

(d) Violations. Any person violating any of the provisions of this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.

(Code 1968, § 5-28; Ord. No. 1041, § 1(5-28), 12-3-91)

State Law reference— Rabies control, Health and Safety Code §§ 1900—1922.

It shall be the duty of every person owning or harboring a dog four months of age or over within the city to have such dog or dogs vaccinated once each year for rabies if killed rabies vaccine (phenolized or chloroformized) is used, or once in every three years if rabies vaccine modified virus avianized is used by a licensed veterinarian.

(Code 1968, § 5-7; Ord. No. 1041, § 1(5-7), 12-3-91)

If it shall appear to the animal control officer or his representative upon examination that a dog or other animal has rabies, he may humanely destroy such animal forthwith, or hold such animal for further examination for such time as he may consider advisable.

(Code 1968, § 5-22; Ord. No. 1041, § 1(5-22), 12-3-91)