Confinement of Biting Dogs and Cats - 6.09

An animal, which has bitten a person, shall be observed for a period of ten (10) days from the date of the bite.

Stray animals whose owners cannot be located shall be confined in the animal shelter.

The owner of any animal that has been reported to have inflicted a bite on any person shall on demand by the code enforcement officer produce the animal for impoundment as prescribed in this Chapter.

It shall be unlawful for the owner of any animal reported to have bitten any person to intentionally and knowingly secrete or refuse to produce the animal. Each day of such secretion or refusal to produce the animal shall constitute a separate and individual violation. The judge of the municipal court may order the owner to immediately produce the animal in addition to other penalties provided in Title 6 Animals.

It shall be unlawful for the owner of any dog that has bitten a person, or has been exposed to rabies, or in any manner is suspected of having rabies to destroy or to dispose of such animal before the animal can be properly confined by the code enforcement officer.

When an animal under confinement and quarantine has been diagnosed by a licensed veterinarian as being rabid, the veterinarian making such diagnosis shall immediately notify the code enforcement officer or the Town police department of such fact and shall advise them of any reports of human contact with such rabid animal.

If any animal under confinement dies while under observation, the code enforcement officer shall immediately take action to obtain a pathological examination of the animal. As soon as a diagnosis is made available, the code enforcement officer shall notify the applicable official of the State Department of Health of any known contacts the animal had with other animals or persons.