§ 5-122. Report of animal bite required.

(a)

It shall be the duty of every person bitten by an animal to report immediately to the animal control officer(s) of the City of Fitzgerald, giving full name, age and address; the circumstances surrounding the bite and the extent of the bite; the medical treatment given; and the name and address of the owner or custodian of the animal.

(b)

Said animal will be impounded by the animal control officer(s) and taken to the animal shelter to be quarantined for a length of ten (10) days to determine whether the animal has rabies. If the animal shows signs of illness, the animal shelter shall have the authority to euthanize the animal and send the body to the Tifton Diagnostic Lab in Tift County to be tested for rabies. It will be the duty of the animal control officer(s) to locate the owner of the animal and find out if it has received its annual rabies vaccination and explain the quarantine procedures. The animal control officer(s) shall document the bite by completing a report and a copy of the report shall be given to the animal shelter representative.

(c)

After an animal has been quarantined for ten (10) days for biting and found to be free of rabies, the owner of such animal may reclaim the animal from the animal shelter. A bite fine will be imposed on the owner, plus a boarding fee for each day at the shelter, in the amount set forth by the animal shelter and posted at the shelter. These fines must be paid, along with any other fines issued, before the animal is released.

(d)

It shall be the duty of every person owning or having custody of an animal which has bitten a human being to report the same to the animal control officer(s) and confine the animal in a secure enclosure for observation and examination by the animal control officer(s) and/or representatives from the animal shelter. No person having the custody or possession of such animal shall fail, refuse, or neglect to immediately notify the animal control officer(s), or shall fail, refuse, or neglect to allow the animal control officer(s) and/or a representative from the animal shelter to make an inspection or examination of such animal for the purpose of impoundment.

(Ord. No. 02-1303, 9-9-02)

State law reference

Duty to notify county board of health of persons bitten by an animal suspected to be rabid, O.C.G.A. § 31-19-4.