A. It is unlawful to own, keep or harbor within the City bats or any species of animals designated as unlawful by the Washington State Department of Health pursuant to WAC 246-100-191 by reason of such species being a transmitter of rabies to human beings, including any bat, skunk, fox, coyote or raccoon, except under circumstances permitted by said WAC 246-100-191, which is incorporated herein by reference.

B. It is unlawful to own, keep or harbor within the City any dog, cat, or ferret without a current rabies vaccination. All persons seeking to license a dog or cat, or to keep a ferret, shall be required to show proof of current rabies vaccination from a licensed veterinarian prior to licensing and bringing the animal into the City and said vaccination shall be kept current as long as the animal remains in the City. A durable and traceable rabies tag provided by the veterinarian shall be securely affixed to a collar and worn by the animal when outside or away from the owner’s home or other enclosure.

C. Any dog, cat, or other animal that has bitten any person shall be immediately confined at the animal shelter at the owner’s or custodian’s expense for a period of not less than ten (10) calendar days. No animal under confinement shall be released from confinement until such release has been approved by the Community Services Officer.

D. It shall be unlawful for the owner of any dog, cat, or other animal that has bitten any person to destroy such animal before it can be properly confined by the Community Services Officer. The location of such confinement shall be determined by the Community Services Officer and shall be at the expense of the owner.

E. The owner of any animal that has been reported as having inflicted a bite on any person shall, on demand of a Community Services Officer, produce such animal for examination and quarantine as prescribed in this section. If the owner, his agent, servant or competent member of his family, or any custodian of any such animal refuses to produce such animal, the owner, his agent, servant or competent member of his family, or any custodian shall be subject to immediate arrest if there shall be probable cause to believe that the animal has inflicted a bite upon a person and the owner, his agent, servant or competent member of his family, or any custodian is keeping or harboring the animal and willfully refuses to produce the animal upon such demand. Such persons shall be taken before a judge of the Municipal Court, who may order the immediate production of the animal. If the owner, his agent, servant or competent member of his family, or any custodian of such animal shall willfully or knowingly secrete or refuse to produce the animal, each day of secretion or refusal to produce the animal shall constitute a separate and individual violation of this section.

F. When an animal under quarantine has been diagnosed as being rabid by a licensed veterinarian, the veterinarian making such diagnosis shall immediately notify the County Public Health Officer and advise him of any reports of human contact with such rabid dog, cat or ferret. If any animal under quarantine dies while under observation, the Community Services Officer or his agents shall immediately take action to obtain a pathological and inoculation examination of the animal. As soon as a diagnosis is made available, the Community Services Officer shall notify the County Public Health Officer of any reports of human contact with the animal. Any animal which has not been inoculated against rabies and known to have been bitten by a rabid animal shall be humanely destroyed immediately.

G. Every physician or other medical practitioner who treats a person or persons for bites inflicted by animals shall report such treatment to the Community Services Officer, giving the names and addresses of such persons.

H. Any veterinarian who diagnoses rabies in any animal shall report such fact to the Community Services Officer. The veterinarian shall determine, before any rabies inoculation is given, whether the subject animal is under quarantine or has inflicted a bite on any person within the last ten (10) calendar days.

I. In case of an outbreak of rabies, constituting an emergency situation, the City Manager shall be authorized to impose strict regulations pertaining to animals within the City limits. (Ord. 2757, 3/24/15)