A. When any cat or dog has bitten or attacked any person, it shall be immediately reported to the animal control officer. Bites occurring in a veterinary hospital or clinic, or any business or shelter addressed in Chapter 6.06 of this Code, are not subject to mandatory reporting to the animal control officer; however, this does not relieve the owner or keeper of reporting requirements of the county health department.

B. It is unlawful for the owner of any animal, when notified that such animal has bitten any person or has injured any person such as to cause an abrasion of the skin, to sell or give away such animal or permit such animal to be taken beyond the limits of the city except to a veterinary hospital. It shall be the duty of such owner upon receiving such notice of the animal’s injurious acts to immediately place such animal in a duly licensed veterinary hospital for confinement for a period of at least ten days or to deliver such animal to an animal control officer for such placement or similar confinement. No person shall release or remove any animal from its place of confinement to another place without the consent of and upon the conditions imposed by the animal control officer. Upon authorization of the animal control officer, an animal may be released from confinement to the custody of its owner upon the owner’s undertaking to keep the same confined to the premises of the owner and segregated from other animals and people during such observation period.

C. In the event that the officer has reason to suspect that the animal is rabid, the appropriate officials of the county health department shall be notified and the officer shall coordinate any further activities with such department. The health department shall have jurisdiction over any matter possibly involving rabies. WAC 246-100-191(3), together with amendments thereto, are incorporated in this chapter by reference and prevail over any conflicting provision of this chapter in any suspected rabies matter.

D. It shall be a violation of this chapter for any owner or keeper to whom an order of rabies quarantine is issued to knowingly, recklessly or with criminal negligence permit the order of rabies quarantine to be broken. Should the order of quarantine be broken, the animal may be impounded and held by the city at the owner and/or keeper expense for the remainder of the quarantine period.

E. No person shall refuse to surrender any animal for quarantine when demand is made by order of an animal control officer.

F. Redemption of the animal is subject to payment of any fees allowable under this chapter.

G. Any person refusing or failing to comply with the provisions of this section or with the order or directives of an animal control officer relating thereto shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be punishable by the laws of the state and AMC 1.24.010.

H. A publicly owned police dog with a current rabies vaccination shall be exempt from quarantine unless ordered by the county health officer. (Ord. 2955 Att. A, 2015)