San Benito County Municipal Code Art. I General Provisions

There is hereby created the office of County Veterinarian. The Board of Supervisors shall appoint a licensed veterinarian to serve and hold office at the pleasure of the Board.

(Ord. 836, § 1 (part))

(A) The poundmaster shall supervise the animal shelter and the care of animals impounded therein and shall personally, or through duly appointed deputies, administer and enforce the sections of this article and all applicable state laws relative to animal control. (SBC § 13.01.21.)

(B) Any power granted to, or duty imposed upon the poundmaster in the conduct of his or her office may be exercised by a person authorized pursuant to law. The poundmaster's deputies, if any, may enforce any provisions of this article that the poundmaster may lawfully enforce. (SBC § 13.01.21.)

(Ord. 836, § 1 (part))

(A) Poundmaster authority is granted to the City of Hollister, who maintains an Animal Control Bureau and Animal Shelter. This division is under the direction of the Hollister Police Department.

(B) If at any time there should be no duly appointed and acting poundmaster, the duties of poundmaster shall be performed by the City of Hollister's Chief of Police or the Chief's duly authorized representative until a poundmaster is appointed.

(HMC § 6.04.030)

(C) This section shall only apply as long as a valid agreement is in effect between the City of Hollister and the County of San Benito in which the City of Hollister, and/or its Chief of Police, as applicable, agree to perform the duties of poundmaster.

(Ord. 836, § 1 (part))

No person owning or having charge of any dog shall fail or refuse to state his or her true name and residence address, or to exhibit evidence of rabies vaccination required by this code, when requested to do so by the poundmaster or his or her deputies or by any peace officer or by the county health officer or the health officer's designees. (SBC § 13.01.113)

(Ord. 836, § 1 (part))

Every person, excluding the poundmaster and his or her deputies, who takes up and confines a stray dog or other animal, shall report, within 72 hours of acquiring such stray animal, to the City of Hollister Animal Shelter that:

(A) The animal is confined in his/her possession;

(B) The animal shall be fully described as to physical characteristics;

(C) Whether the animal is vaccinated for rabies, and is licensed as determined by the presence of two metal tags; and

(D) If rabies and licensure tags are present, the tag numbers and by whom the tag was issued. (SBC § 13.01.023, as modified.)

(Ord. 836, § 1 (part))

No person shall keep one or more sheep, goats, horses, donkeys, mules, ponies, cows or other large animals within the county except on a parcel zoned for such use.

(Ord. 836, § 1 (part))

No person shall permit any horses, mules, donkeys, ponies, cattle, sheep, goats, or swine of which the person is the owner, caretaker or custodian to be at large within the county. Any such creature shall be deemed to be at large when it shall be off the premises owned or rented by its owner and unaccompanied by the owner or an agent or employee of the owner, the caretaker or the authorized custodian. (HMC §6.04.010, as modified to eliminate the restrictions on rabbits, chickens, geese, ducks or turkeys.)

(Ord. 836, § 1 (part))

The following are provisions relative to rabid animals:

(A) Knowledge of whereabouts. Any person having knowledge of the whereabouts of an animal known to have rabies or suspected of having rabies shall report the facts immediately to the health officer. The health officer shall likewise be notified of any person or animal bitten by a rabid or suspected rabid animal. The health officer shall be notified when any person is bitten by an animal of a species subject to rabies, whether or not the animal is suspected of having rabies. (HMC § 6.04.020)

(B) Isolation. Any clinically suspected rabid animal or biting animal shall be isolated in strict confinement as follows:

(1) Any clinically suspected rabid animal shall be isolated in strict confinement under proper care and under the observation of a licensed veterinarian in the pound, in a veterinary hospital or in other adequate facilities in a manner approved by the health officer and shall not be killed or released for at least ten days after the onset of symptoms suggestive of rabies.

(2) Any animal which bites or otherwise exposes a person to rabies shall be isolated in strict confinement in a place and manner approved by the health officer and observed for at least ten days after the day of infliction of the bite; except, that the following alternative is permitted in the case of dogs: Dogs which have been isolated in strict confinement under proper care and under observation of a licensed veterinarian in a pound, veterinary hospital or other adequate facilities, in a manner approved by the health officer, may be released from isolation by the health officer after five days of veterinary observation, if upon conducting a thorough physical examination on the fifth day or more after infliction of the bite, the observing veterinarian certifies that there are no clinical signs or symptoms of any disease. (HMC § 6.04.020, with minor modifications.) The confinement ordered shall be at the owners' expense.

(C) Euthanization. Unvaccinated dogs and cats exposed to a rabid or suspect rabid animal should be euthanized immediately. An alternative to euthanasia is immediate vaccination of the animal and placement in a strict isolation for six months (180 days). Isolation provisions are at the discretion of the local health officer and must preclude contact between the isolated animal and other animals or the public. Euthanasia is strongly recommended for unvaccinated juvenile animals due to their higher susceptibility to rabies infection. Protocols for the post-exposure vaccination of previously unvaccinated animals have not been validated, and there is evidence that the use of vaccine alone will not prevent the disease. Dogs and cats that are currently vaccinated should be revaccinated immediately and placed in strict isolation for 30 days.

(Ord. 836, § 1 (part))

Police Chief to perform poundmaster duties - HMC § 6.04.030. See § 13.01.003.

(Ord. 836, § 1 (part))

No person shall in any manner interfere or attempt to interfere with the poundmaster or any law enforcement officer in the performance of any duty imposed by the provisions of this chapter. No person shall unlawfully take or attempt to take any animal seized pursuant to the provisions of this chapter from the custody of the poundmaster or any law enforcement officer. No person shall remove or attempt to remove from the public pound any animal impounded therein without having first redeemed the same as provided in this chapter or obtained permission of the poundmaster to do so. (HMC § 6.04.040)

(Ord. 836, § 1 (part))

"Poultry" defined - HMC § 6.04.050.

(Ord. 836, § 1 (part))

Registration with Health Department required - HMC § 6.04.060.

(Ord. 836, § 1 (part))

Restrictions on keeping of poultry, rabbits and other small fur-bearing animals - HMC § 6.04.070.

(Ord. 836, § 1 (part))

Keeping of sheep, goats, horses or other large animals - HMC § 6.04.080. See § 13.01.006.

(Ord. 836, § 1 (part))

(A) Every stable or other building wherein any animals such as swine, sheep, goats, horses, asses, donkeys, mules, ponies, cows or animals raised for fur-bearing purposes are kept shall be constructed of such material and in such manner that it can be kept clean and sanitary at all times. (HMC § 6.04.090)

(B) All manure, feces, soiled litter and other refuse shall be regularly removed and stored in places where it will not be offensive to human beings or domestic animals, or it may be cremated, if allowed by law. (SBC § 13.01.002, as modified.)

(Ord. 836, § 1 (part))

(A) All structures, pens, coops or yards wherein animals, poultry or birds are kept or permitted to be kept shall be maintained in a clean and sanitary condition, devoid of all rodents and vermin and free from objectionable odors. (HMC § 6.04.100)

(B) The health officer, upon the complaint of any person, shall inspect any such structure or premises and issue any such order as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this chapter. (HMC § 6.04.100, except that the requirement that all interior walls, ceilings, floors be whitewashed or painted has been deleted.)

(Ord. 836, § 1 (part))

Cooking of waste matter used as animal feed prohibited - HMC § 6.04.110.)

(Ord. 836, § 1 (part))

Fowl or animals which disturb peace - HMC § 6.04.120.

(Ord. 836, § 1 (part))

Continuation of use of premises after annexation - HMC § 6.04.130.

(Ord. 836, § 1 (part))