Long Beach Municipal Code Ch. 6.12 Rabies Control

Footnotes:

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Editor's note— ORD-09-0022, § 4 adopted Aug. 4, 2009, amended Ch. 6.12 in its entirety to read as herein set out. Former Ch. 6.12, §§ 6.12.010—6.12-150 pertained to similar subject matter and derived from Prior code §§ 5610.29—5610.36, 5610.38, 5610.39, 5610.53—5610.56; Ord. C-5645 § 1 (part), 1980; and Ord. C-6194 § 1, 1985.

Cross reference— Provisions on the City Health Officer, see the City Charter.

State Law reference— Provisions on rabies control, Health and Saf. Code § 1911 et seq.

Whenever a person responsible for a dog or other animal observes or learns that such dog or animal shows symptoms of rabies, or acts in a manner which would lead to a reasonable suspicion that the dog or animal may have rabies, that person shall immediately notify the Health Officer, and it shall be the duty of the Health Officer, when called upon, to examine or have examined the dog or animal and to ascertain whether or not the dog or animal is afflicted with rabies, and no person responsible for such dog or animal shall fail, refuse or neglect to notify the Health Officer.

(ORD-09-0022, § 4, 2009)

Whenever the Director, or any other person, captures a dog or any other animal suspected of having rabies, he/she shall deliver the same to the animal shelter or shall confine the same in some safe place and shall immediately report the same to the Health Officer, and it shall be the duty of the Health Officer, when called upon, to examine or cause to be examined any such dog or other animal and to ascertain whether or not any such dog or animal is afflicted with rabies.

(ORD-09-0022, § 4, 2009)

No person responsible for any dog or other animal showing symptoms of rabies, or that acts in a manner which would lead to a reasonable suspicion that such dog or animal may have rabies, or whenever it is shown that any dog or other animal has bitten any person, shall refuse or fail to submit such dog or animal to inspection or examination by the Health Officer or his/her representative in order to ascertain whether or not such dog or animal is afflicted with rabies.

(ORD-09-0022, § 4, 2009)

Any person having knowledge that any dog or other animal has bitten any person shall immediately and without delay advise the Director or the Police Department of such fact, furnishing such information as he/she may possess relative to the identity of the animal, the person responsible for the animal and the person bitten.

(ORD-09-0022, § 4, 2009)

Upon receipt of a report as described in Section 6.12.040, the Director shall undertake all measures necessary to the identification of the subject dog or other animal and the person responsible for the dog or other animal and upon the identification of the dog, or other animal, or person responsible, or both, shall inform the Health Officer thereof.

(ORD-09-0022, § 4, 2009)

A. Upon written order of the Health Officer or his/her authorized representative so directing any person responsible for a dog or other animal having bitten any person shall cause the animal to be kept in strict quarantine in a closed, fenced yard, kennel or animal shelter for a period of ten (10) days and shall permit the Health Officer or his/her authorized representative to inspect or examine the dog or other animal at any time during the period.

B. The Health Officer shall have the power, in his/her discretion, to quarantine the animal in the animal shelter.

(ORD-09-0022, § 4, 2009)

A. Upon the issuance of a written order of quarantine as described in Section 6.12.060, the person to whom such order is directed shall permit the Health Officer or his/her authorized representative to post a printed or written notice of the quarantine order upon or about the premises wherein the subject dog or other animal is confined.

B. No person shall obscure, deface, render illegible or remove the posted notice during the quarantine period.

(ORD-09-0022, § 4, 2009)

Whenever any dog or other animal is quarantined in the animal shelter for inspection, examination or observation for rabies, and at the expiration of the period of quarantine, the dog or other animal is determined by the Health Officer or his/her representative to be free from said disease, then the Director shall immediately cause the person responsible for the dog or animal, if known, to be notified to redeem the dog or other animal from the animal shelter within the time and in the same manner provided for the redemption of other impounded dogs or animals. The person responsible for any animal which has been quarantined in the animal shelter shall pay to the Director the boarding fee established by the City Council by resolution for the period the animal is held under quarantine in the animal shelter. If the dog or other animal is not redeemed after the period of such quarantine within the time specified for redemption of impounded animals, then the dog or other animal shall be disposed of in the same manner provided for the disposition of other impounded dogs or animals.

(ORD-09-0022, § 4, 2009)

If it appears to the Health Officer or his/her representative that any dog or other animal has rabies, it shall be his/her duty to immediately quarantine the dog or other animal at the animal shelter, subject to his/her further orders, or to notify the Director to destroy such animal and dispose of its carcass.

(ORD-09-0022, § 4, 2009)

Every dog or other animal which has been bitten by a rabid dog or other rabid animal, or which has come in contact or consorted with a rabid dog or other rabid animal, or which has been harbored in the same home, apartment, kennel or part of any premises with a rabid dog or other rabid animal, shall be kept isolated and under quarantine for ninety (90) days in a veterinary hospital approved by the Health Officer, or surrendered to the Director to be destroyed.

(ORD-09-0022, § 4, 2009)

No person responsible for any dog or cat shall permit a dog or cat four (4) months of age or older to be in the City unless such person has procured a canine anti-rabies vaccine for the dog or a feline anti-rabies vaccine for the cat from a State licensed veterinarian unless:

A. Such dog or cat is less than four (4) months of age; or

B. Such dog or cat is in a state of health that inoculation at the time would be hazardous to the life of the dog or cat, as evidenced by the written, dated and signed statement of a licensed veterinarian, and approved by the authority of the Health Officer. Such statement shall provide exemption from the requirements of this Section for a maximum period of one (1) year. The Health Officer shall not authorize the endorsement of the statement for any period of time unless the illness of the dog or cat requires it.

(ORD-10-0017, § 2, 2010; ORD-09-0022, § 4, 2009)

Every person responsible for a dog or cat in the City, whenever such dog or cat is required to be inoculated by the provisions of Section 6.12.110, shall have such dog or cat inoculated against rabies by a licensed veterinarian. The inoculation by any person licensed to practice veterinary medicine in the State, or in the event the dog or cat is inoculated in any State other than California, then the inoculation by any person authorized or permitted by such State to practice veterinary medicine, shall be deemed to be inoculated by a licensed veterinarian. The Health Officer shall, at such intervals of time as he deems necessary, provide for the rabies inoculation of such dog or cat upon payment of a fee established therefore by the City Council by resolution. The Health Officer shall issue to such person a certificate of inoculation, signed under the authority of the Health Officer, stating thereon the breed and description of the dog or cat, the date of the inoculation, and the type of vaccine used.

(ORD-10-0017, § 3, 2010; ORD-09-0022, § 4, 2009)

Every person responsible for any dog or cat, and who is required by the provisions of Chapter 6.08 to secure a license tag for such dog or cat, shall provide evidence satisfactory to the licensing authority of compliance with Section 6.12.110. A certificate of inoculation or a statement of health containing the information required by Sections 6.12.110 and 6.12.120, signed under the authority of the Health Officer and a licensed veterinarian, shall be deemed satisfactory evidence of compliance with Section 6.12.110. No dog or cat license shall be issued unless and until the requirements of this Section are fulfilled.

(ORD-10-0017, § 4, 2010; ORD-09-0022, § 4, 2009)

The Director shall, at the time a dog or cat license is issued, record on the register, provided for by Section 6.08.030, the date of inoculation, the type of vaccine used, or the reason no vaccine was used.

(ORD-10-0017, § 5, 2010; ORD-09-0022, § 4, 2009)

Every person practicing veterinary medicine in the City of Long Beach who vaccinates a dog or cat with rabies vaccine shall issue to the person responsible to whom he or she delivers the dog or cat the original certificate and to the Director of the Animal Care Services Bureau of the City of Long Beach a copy of every rabies immunization certificate issued by such veterinarian. The certificate should contain the following:

A. Name, address and telephone number of the person responsible for the dog or cat;

B. A description of the dog or cat, including breed, color, sex and age;

C. The date of rabies immunization;

D. The type of rabies vaccine administered;

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

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

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

(ORD-10-0017, § 6, 2010; ORD-09-0022, § 4, 2009)