§ 4-38. Reporting and confinement of rabies-susceptible animals that have bitten people or animals, or appear to have rabies.

(a)

It is a violation of this section for any attending practitioner licensed to practice medicine, osteopathic medicine, or veterinary medicine or any other person knowing of or in attendance on a case to fail to promptly report to the Florida Department of Health in Lake County every instance in which a rabies-susceptible animal has bitten, scratched, or its saliva has come in contact with the mucous membrane or an open lesion of another animal or human.

(b)

All reporting requirements provided in Florida Administrative Code Section 64D-3 shall remain in effect.

(c)

Any rabies susceptible domestic animal which bites any person or animal or appears to have rabies shall be impounded or confined for the required quarantine period under suitable observation or may be destroyed according to the direction of the state health officer or his or her duly authorized representative. Any expense incurred in handling the rabies-susceptible animal during this period shall be borne by the owner.

(d)

The recommended penalty for a violation of this section is a fine of five hundred dollars ($500.00).

(Ord. No. 2009-47, § 2, 9-1-09; Ord. No. 2017-16, § 2, 4-4-17; Ord. No. 2018-22, § 2, 5-8-18)