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 Athens
 Code of Ordinances
 Chapter 4. ANIMALS AND FOWL
 Article II. DOGS AND CATS

  § 4-33.1. Quarantine of biting animals.  

Latest version.

  • (a)

    Duty to report. Any person having knowledge that an animal has bitten, scratched, or otherwise possibly exposed a human to rabies shall immediately report the incident to the local health authority. Every physician or other medical practitioner who treats a person or persons for such a bite or scratch shall within twelve (12) hours report such treatment to the local health authority or his agent, giving name, age, sex, and precise location of the bitten person or persons and such other information as the local health authority may require.

    (b)

    Exclusions. Human bites or exposure from rodents, rabbits, birds and reptiles are excluded from the reporting requirements of this article.

    (c)

    Quarantine required. Any dog or cat which has bitten, scratched, or otherwise exposed a person shall be observed in quarantine for a period ten (10) days from the date of the incident. The procedure and place of quarantine shall be designated by the local health authority. If the dog or cat is owned, it may be quarantined at a veterinary clinic of the owner's choice. All expenses incurred in the quarantine shall be borne by the owner. If quarantining is at the city animal shelter, the fees of section 4-28 shall apply. If the dog or cat is unowned, the local health authority may order that the animal be humanely destroyed and its brain submitted for rabies diagnosis at any time prior to the end of the quarantine period.

     If at the end of the ten-day quarantine, the dog or cat is found to be in a good state of health, it may be returned to its owner upon written release by the local health authority, his agent, or the attending veterinarian.

    (d)

    Other animal bites—Procedures. Procedures concerning bites from other animals shall be discussed with the local health authority and the Texas Department of Health for proper disposition. Any wild animal which has bitten a person shall be humanely destroyed and its brain immediately submitted to a qualified laboratory for rabies diagnosis.

(Ord. No. A-2008, § 1, 2-13-84)