San Rafael Municipal Code Ch. 9.08 Rabies

It shall be unlawful for any persons owning, having an interest in, harboring, or having the care, charge, custody or possession of a dog to allow or permit such dog to go or be upon any public street or place, unleashed, or to go free or run at large in or upon any public place within said City, unless such dog has been vaccinated with canine rabies vaccine, one injection or other approved method, within a period of twelve months, and is officially tagged as provided in Section 9.08.020.

Said vaccinations shall be performed by the health officer, or any duly qualified and licensed physician or veterinarian.

(Ord. 134).

The persons vaccinating said dog shall issue certificates of vaccination on blanks furnished by the city. Every person owning, having custody or control of any dog so vaccinated, shall present said certificate of vaccination to the health officer who shall issue an official vaccination tag which shall be securely fastened to a collar, which collar must at all times be worn by such vaccinated dog. It shall be unlawful to attach an official vaccination tag to any dog unless the same has been duly vaccinated as herein provided.

(Ord. 134).

The Chief of Police and his deputies, and every constable and his deputies, and every poundkeeper, and also any persons employed for that purpose by the City Council must and are hereby authorized and empowered to capture any dog not vaccinated as required by this chapter, and which is found going free or running at large in or upon any place within said city.

(Ord. 134).

Officers or persons capturing a dog under the provisions of Section 9.08.030 may separately confine, in some safe place, preferably in the custody and care of the Humane Society, such dog captured by them, and shall report the capture to the health officer and shall submit such dog to the examination of the health officer or his representative, and it shall be the duty of the health officer, when called upon, to examine or have examined such dog, and to ascertain whether or not such dog is affected with rabies.

(Ord. 134).

Whenever the owner or person having the custody or possession of the animal shall observe or learn that such animal shows symptoms of rabies, or acts in a manner which would lead to a reasonable suspicion that it may have rabies, such owner or person having the custody or possession of such animal shall immediately notify the health officer or his representative to make an inspection or examination of such animal until it shall be established to the satisfaction of said official that such animal has or has not rabies.

(Ord. 134).

Whenever it is shown that any dog has bitten any person, the owner or person having the custody or possession thereof shall, upon order of the health officer, quarantine it and keep it tied up or confined for a period of three weeks, and shall allow the health officer or other authorized official to make an inspection or examination thereof at any time during such period.

(Ord. 134).

If it shall appear to the health officer or his representatives upon examination of the aforesaid or otherwise, that a dog or other animal has rabies, he shall kill and destroy such animal forthwith.

(Ord. 134).

Whenever any animal shall be bitten by another animal having rabies, the owner or person having the custody or possession of the animal so bitten shall, upon being informed thereof, either kill such animal or quarantine it, and keep it confined or tied up for a period of six months, and the health officer or his representative shall have power, in his discretion, to kill or quarantine the animal so bitten, in case the owner or persons having custody or possession thereof shall fail to do so immediately, or in case the owner or persons having the custody or possession thereof is not readily accessible.

(Ord. 134).

No person shall bring a dog into the City of San Rafael from any town, city or city and county in which rabies is present or has been known to be present within six months.

(Ord. 134).