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(1) An animal that has rabies or shows signs of having rabies and every animal bitten by another animal affected with rabies or that has been exposed to rabies shall be reported by the owner or custodian of such animal as set forth above and shall immediately be isolated in strict confinement in a secure place by the owner or custodian.

(2) The owner of any animal of a species subject to rabies which has bitten another animal or person shall immediately surrender the animal to an authorized official upon demand. Any person authorized to enforce the provisions of this Chapter may enter upon private property to seize the animal. If the owner refuses to surrender the animal, the officer shall immediately obtain a search warrant authorizing seizure and impoundment of the animal.

(3) Any biting or suspected rabid animal or bat may be humanely euthanized immediately by an animal control officer or the health department, and such animal’s undamaged and properly packaged and properly refrigerated head shall be delivered promptly to an approved medical facility having the capability of performing the fluorescent antibody test to demonstrate the presence of rabies.

(4) Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the biting or suspected rabid animal is of the domesticated variety that is owned or obviously could have an owner, said animal shall be confined for a period of not less than ten (10) days to allow time for an attempt to locate an owner unless the City or County veterinarian or other licensed veterinarian shall reasonably deem it necessary to sacrifice the animal for the purpose of laboratory examination. The owner of the animal shall bear the cost of confinement. The South Utah Valley Animal Services Special Service District shall be the normal place for quarantine, but other arrangements, including confinement by the owner, may be made by the animal control supervising officer if the animal had a current rabies vaccination at the time the bite was inflicted or if there are other special circumstances justifying an exception. A person who has custody of an animal under quarantine shall immediately notify the Animal Control Office if the animal shows any signs of sickness or abnormal behavior, or if the animal escapes confinement. It shall be unlawful for any person who has custody of a quarantined animal to refuse to allow an animal control officer to make an inspection or examination during the period of quarantine. If the animal dies within ten (10) days from the date of the bite, the person having custody shall immediately notify the animal control office or immediately remove and deliver the head to the State Health Laboratory to be examined for rabies. If at the end of the ten (10) day quarantine period, a licensed veterinarian examines the animal and finds no sign of rabies, the animal may be released to the owner, or, in the case of a stray, it shall be disposed of as provided in this Chapter.

(5) In the case of an unvaccinated animal of a species subject to rabies which is known to have been bitten by a known rabid animal or which has been in intimate contact with such an animal, the bitten or exposed animal shall be immediately destroyed unless the owner of the animal complies with this Subsection (5). If the owner is unwilling to destroy the bitten or exposed animal, the animal shall be immediately isolated and quarantined for six (6) months in a place and manner approved by the animal control officer or public health officer and observed by a licensed veterinarian, the cost of such confinement to be paid in advance by the owner. The animal shall be destroyed if the owner does not comply herewith.

(6) In the case of a cat or dog that has been vaccinated against rabies at least thirty (30) days prior to the suspected exposure with a type of vaccine produced under U.S.D.A. license and within the time period approved by the State veterinarian, the bitten or exposed animal shall be revaccinated in a manner prescribed by the Police Department or the health department and quarantined and observed by a licensed veterinarian for a period of thirty (30) days following revaccination. If the animal is not revaccinated in a manner prescribed by the Police Department or the health department, the animal shall be isolated and quarantined under veterinary supervision for six (6) months. The animal shall be destroyed if the owner does not comply with this Subsection (6) of this Section.

(7) It shall be unlawful for any person to remove any quarantined animal from the place of quarantine without written permission of an animal control officer.

(8) Bats and wild carnivorous mammals, as well as wild animals cross-bred to domestic dogs and cats, that bite people shall be killed, and appropriate tissues shall be sent to the state health laboratory for examination for rabies.

(Enacted 1987-44, Am 2005-56, Am 2006-45)