§ 4-86. Duties of animal owners.

(a)

Vaccination required. It shall be unlawful for any owner of a dog or cat four months of age or older to keep or harbor such animal in the village unless that animal has been properly vaccinated against rabies as follows:

(1)

Vaccination of dogs and cats shall be required every one to three years depending upon the type of vaccination and duration of immunity, or at such other interval as required by the U.S. Department of Agriculture or other specifically designated department of the State.

(2)

Every animal owner shall retain written proof of the vaccination provided by the veterinarian until the date of its expiration.

(3)

It shall be unlawful for any animal owner to allow the rabies vaccination required by this chapter to lapse at any time.

(b)

Duty to report rabies. Any person who owns, harbors, keeps or shelters a dog or cat which has contracted rabies, or is suspected of having contracted rabies, or which has been exposed to rabies, including being sheltered in the same enclosure with a known rabid animal, shall immediately upon knowledge or suspicion:

(1)

Make a report to the Wilmette Police Department of the known or suspected case of rabies; and

(2)

Surrender such animal to the animal control facility designated by the village to be detained for the purpose of clinical observation for the period of time determined necessary by a veterinarian.

(c)

Confinement of infected animal. Upon the determination of a licensed veterinarian, any animal to be quarantined under this section may be allowed to remain in quarantine for the required period on the property of the owner so long as such animal remains muzzled, confined, and out of contact with members of the public and other animals at all times during the quarantine period.

(d)

Dogs or cats found at-large which are either known to be rabid or, are in violation of the confinement requirements of subsection (c) of this section, may be destroyed by the animal control officer if the animal control officer is unable with reasonable effort to apprehend such animal for impoundment.

(Code 1993, § 4-4.2; Ord. No. 2011-O-32, 5-10-2011)