Division 7. Rabies Control

No person shall own or harbor a ferret, dog, or cat over the age of four (4) months in the County without a valid rabies vaccination.

Persons bringing ferrets, dogs, and/or cats into the County shall have readily available, as proof of vaccination, a valid rabies certificate signed by a licensed veterinarian or issued by an approved governmental agency. Animals which do not qualify shall either be immediately removed from the County or be vaccinated by a licensed veterinarian.

A licensed veterinarian in the County who administers a rabies vaccine to a dog, cat, or ferret shall complete a rabies vaccination certificate. The original rabies vaccination certificate shall be given to the owner of each dog, cat, or ferret that receives a rabies vaccine. One (1) copy of the rabies vaccination certificate shall be retained by the licensed veterinarian. Copies of rabies vaccination certificates shall also be forwarded by veterinarians to the Animal Management Division. Veterinarians shall provide these copies to the Animal Management Division on a monthly basis.

Antirabies clinics will be operated by the Health Department. The Health Department is authorized to charge such reasonable fees as may be necessary to defray the actual costs of such service.

Any person administering rabies vaccination shall complete a Health Department vaccination certificate of rabies immunization on all animals immunized and shall furnish copies of the certificate to the Administrator of the Animal Services Division within sixty (60) days of the vaccination.

When a dog, cat, or ferret is presented to the Health Department for immunization at an antirabies clinic, personnel of the Animal Control Program shall ascertain whether the animal is licensed under this Subtitle. If the animal is unlicensed, the Administrator shall provide the owner with an application for the appropriate license.

A report of the circumstances of a person having a bite contact or nonbite contact with an animal shall be made promptly to the Police Department, the Health Department, or the Health Department's designee by anyone having personal knowledge of the incident. The police shall within twenty-four (24) hours notify the Administrator and the Health Officer of the details of the incident.

It shall be the duty of every physician, medical practitioner, or hospital attendant to report to the Police Department the names and addresses of persons treated for bite contact or nonbite contact with animals, together with such information as will be helpful in rabies control.

The Administrator shall confine any animal following a bite or nonbite contact with a human for clinical observation for a period of ten (10) consecutive calendar days. At the discretion of the Administrator and with the approval of the Health Officer, the confinement may occur on the premises of the animal's owner. The Administrator may issue such written orders to the owner with respect to the confinement of the animal as he finds necessary for the public safety. In the alternative, the animal may be confined at any animal shelter, veterinary hospital, or humane shelter at the owner's option and expense, subject to the approval of the Health Officer and the Administrator.

No person shall allow a confined animal to escape or be released from confinement. No person shall sell, give away, or otherwise dispose of such animal before the expiration of the ten (10) day confinement and observation period until the animal is examined by a licensed veterinarian or observed by the Administrator or the Administrator's designee. Nor shall any person remove said animal from Prince George's County during the confinement period without the Health Officer's written approval.

If the animal does not have a current valid rabies vaccination at the time of exposure, the owner must have the ferret, dog, or cat examined by a licensed veterinarian and vaccinated against rabies, at the owner's expense, immediately after the ten (10) day quarantine period.

If the animal has a current, valid rabies vaccination at the time of exposure, the owner must have the animal examined by a licensed veterinarian at the owner's expense or taken to the Prince George's County Animal Services Division immediately after the ten (10) day quarantine period, to verify that the animal is in good health. Proof of valid rabies vaccination must be shown at the time of post quarantine visit.

The owner of a quarantined animal must pay an examination fee of Ten Dollars ($10.00) upon the completion of a home visit by an Animal Control Officer.

Upon demand by the Administrator or the Health Officer, the owner of any animal which has had bite or nonbite contact with a human, or which is suspected of having been exposed to rabies, shall surrender such animal for supervised confinement. The expense of such confinement shall be borne by the owner. Payment of boarding fees and compliance with the licensing provisions of this Subtitle shall be prerequisites to the release of a confined animal to the owner.

If the owner of an animal which has had bite or nonbite contact with a human or which is suspected of having been exposed to rabies refuses to surrender the animal upon demand by the Administrator or the Health Officer, the County Attorney may petition a court for ex parte temporary and permanent mandatory injunctive relief to require the owner to surrender the animal for quarantine and observation.

When a rabies examination report indicates a positive diagnosis of rabies, either the State Secretary of Agriculture, the State Public Health Veterinarian or the Health Officer may impose a quarantine within any area of the County for a period of not less than sixty (60) days and for as long a period as deemed necessary.

When such a quarantine is effected, no domesticated animal shall be taken from confinement or be permitted in the streets or other public areas of the quarantine area, unless properly leashed and accompanied by an adult.

During such quarantine, any farm animal suspected of having been exposed to rabies may be quarantined by the State Public Health Veterinarian or the State Secretary of Agriculture. No quarantined farm animal may be removed from its place of residence without the written permission of the State Secretary of Agriculture or the State Public Health Veterinarian.

No unclaimed animal which has been impounded by reason of its being at large will be adopted from any animal shelter during the period of quarantine, except by special authorization of the State Public health Veterinarian or Health Officer.

If there are additional cases of rabies during the period of quarantine, the quarantine period may be extended for additional periods as established by the State Department of Health and Mental Hygiene or the Health Officer.

Notwithstanding the provisions in Section 3-191, no quarantine release fee shall be charged for animals taken to a veterinarian or to the facility for examination for release from quarantine.

If the owner or custodian of a ferret, dog, cat, cow, horse, sheep, or goat exposed to a rabid or suspected rabid animal can provide proof of a currently valid rabies vaccination as determined by the State Public Health Veterinarian, the Health Officer, or the Health Officer's designee, the animal shall be revaccinated and kept under restraint for forty-five (45) days or for such time as specified by the Public Health Veterinarian, the Health Officer, or the Health Officer's designee. 'Under restraint' means confined to a house, garage, escape-proof enclosure or building. An animal kept outside in a fenced yard shall not constitute 'under restraint'.

If the owner or custodian of any animal cannot provide proof of current vaccination against rabies, the animal shall be either humanely destroyed or immediately surrendered to the Animal Management Division of the Prince George's County Department of the Environment which will hold the animal for up to fifteen (15) days while quarantine arrangements are being made. Said animal must be held in strict isolation in a facility and in a manner approved by the State Public Health Veterinarian, the Health Officer, or the Health Officer's designee for a total of six (6) months following the exposure. The animal must be vaccinated one (1) month prior to release from isolation. All costs relating to this holding or isolation shall be borne by the owner or custodian of the animal. If the owner requests that the animal be held in strict isolation, then the Health Officer, the Health Officer's designee, or State Public Health Veterinarian may make inspections deemed necessary to assure that the animal is in strict isolation. If the isolation agreement is violated, the animal shall be humanely destroyed and tested for rabies unless an exception is made by the Health Officer, the Health Officer's designee, or the State Public Health Veterinarian based on special circumstances.

Except under the direction and supervision of the Health Officer or the Health Officer's designee, no person shall kill, or cause to be killed, any rabid animal, any animal which has had bite or nonbite contact with a human or any animal suspected of having been exposed to rabies.

No person shall remove such animal from the jurisdiction of the County without written permission from the State Public Health Veterinarian.

If there is a possibility of an animal's escape or of further bite or nonbite contact with the animal, the animal may be humanely destroyed and the Administrator shall be notified immediately.

The carcass of any dead animal exposed to rabies or suspected of being exposed to rabies shall, upon demand, be surrendered to the Administrator, the Health Officer, or the State Public Health Veterinarian.

The Administrator shall supervise the disposition of the carcass of any animal in his possession found to be infected with rabies or of any dead animal which he deems to be a health menace or a hazard to the public health and welfare.