(A) An unvaccinated dog or cat that bites any person, and breaks the skin, shall be confined and quarantined at the animal shelter or, on request of and at the expense of the owner, at a veterinary hospital for a period of not less than ten (10) days. The quarantine period shall start on the day of the bite incident. If the day of the bite is not known, the quarantine period shall start on the first day of impoundment. A dog properly vaccinated pursuant to this chapter that bites any person may be confined and quarantined at the home of the owner or wherever the dog is harbored and maintained with the consent of and in a manner prescribed by Show Low animal control.

(B) Any domestic animal, other than a dog, a cat or a caged or pet rodent or rabbit, that bites any person shall be confined and quarantined at the animal shelter or, on the request and at the expense of the owner, at a veterinary hospital for a period of not less than fourteen (14) days. Livestock shall be confined and quarantined for the fourteen (14) day period in a manner regulated by the Arizona Department of Agriculture. Caged or pet rodents or rabbits shall not be quarantined or laboratory tested.

(C) With the exception of a wild rodent or rabbit, any wild animal that bites any person or directly exposes any person to its saliva may be killed and submitted to the Navajo County health department for transport to an appropriate diagnostic laboratory. A wild rodent or rabbit may be submitted for laboratory testing if the animal has bitten a person and either the animal’s health or behavior indicates that the animal may have rabies or the bite occurred in an area that contains a rabies epizootic, as determined by the Arizona Department of Health Services.

(D) If an animal bites any person, the incident shall be reported to Show Low animal control immediately by any person having direct knowledge.

(E) Show Low animal control may destroy any animal confined and quarantined pursuant to this section before the termination of the minimum confinement period for laboratory examination for rabies if:

(F) Any animal subject to licensing under this chapter found without a tag or microchip identifying its owner shall be deemed unowned.

(G) Show Low animal control shall destroy a vicious animal by order of a justice of the peace or a city magistrate. Following a hearing, a justice of the peace or city magistrate may issue an order to destroy a vicious animal after notice to the owner. The justice of the peace or city magistrate may impose additional procedures and processes to protect all parties in the interest of justice, and any decision by the justice of the peace or magistrate may be appealed to the superior court.

(H) The owner of a vicious animal shall be responsible for any fees incurred for the impounding, sheltering and disposing of the vicious animal. The rates for such fees are established by Show Low city council.

(I) This section does not apply to a dog that is used by any federal, state, county, city or town law enforcement agency and that bites any person if the bite occurs while the dog is under proper law enforcement supervision and the care of a licensed veterinarian, except that the law enforcement agency shall notify Show Low animal control if the dog exhibits any abnormal behavior and make the dog available for examination at any reasonable time. (Ord. No. 2004-20, §§ 1, 2, 9-21-04; Ord. No. 2020-06, § 1, 12-1-20. 1976 Code § 6-4-1)