La Palma Municipal Code Art. VII Quarantine Requirement and Rabies Suspects

It shall be unlawful for any person having knowledge of the whereabouts of an animal known to have or suspected of having rabies or that has shown symptoms of rabies, to fail, refuse, or neglect to immediately notify the Director, or to fail, refuse, or neglect to allow the Director to make an inspection to the satisfaction of said official that such animal has or has not rabies. The Director shall likewise be notified of any person bitten by an animal of a species subject to rabies, whether or not the animal is suspected of having rabies.

(Ord. No. 2009-08, § 5-81, 12-15-2009)

Whenever any person having charge, care, control, custody, or possession of any dog has knowledge that such dog has bitten any person, the persons having charge, care, control, custody, or possession of such dog shall report said fact in writing forthwith to the Director. The report shall state the name and address of the person bitten and the time and place such person was bitten.

(Ord. No. 2009-08, § 5-82, 12-15-2009)

Whenever it is shown that any dog or other animal has bitten any person, no owner or person having the custody or possession thereof, upon order of the Director, any Police Officer, or the Health Officer, shall fail, refuse, or neglect to quarantine such animal and keep it securely confined on a chain or in a closed cage or paddock for a period of ten days, or shall fail, refuse, or neglect to allow the Director to make an inspection or examination thereof at any time during said period. No such dog or animal shall be removed without written permission of the Director, any Police Officer, or the Health Officer or their deputies.

(Ord. No. 2009-08, § 5-83, 12-15-2009)

Notwithstanding any other provision in this article, and pursuant to State law, a dog used by any State, County, City, or City and County law enforcement agency shall not be quarantined after biting any person if such bite occurred while the dog was being used for any law enforcement purpose. The law enforcement agency shall make the dog available for examination at any reasonable time. The law enforcement agency shall notify the local Health Officer if the dog exhibits any abnormal behavior.

(Ord. No. 2009-08, § 5-84, 12-15-2009)

Notwithstanding any other provision of this article, and pursuant to State law, a guide dog shall not be quarantined, in the absence of evidence that it has been exposed to rabies, unless the owner fails:

(1) To keep it safely confined to the premises of the owner.

(2) To keep it available for examination at all reasonable times.

(Ord. No. 2009-08, § 5-85, 12-15-2009)

Whenever it is suspected that any animal shall have been bitten by another animal having, or suspected of having rabies, all rules and regulations under section 8-188 shall apply where applicable, substituting the word "animal" or "dog."

(Ord. No. 2009-08, § 5-86, 12-15-2009)