GENERALLY

Oklahoma City Municipal Code ch. 8, art. IV, div. 2

in effect

Oklahoma City Municipal Code § 8-192 Report of animal bite required.

§ 8-192. - Report of animal bite required. Any person owning, harboring, or keeping an animal that bites a person and any person bitten by an animal must report that occurrence to the Animal Welfare Division within 24 hours. (Ord. No. 23145, § 2, 10-3-06)

Oklahoma City Municipal Code § 8-193 Notification of required confinement and observation.

§ 8-193. - Notification of required confinement and observation. Upon receiving a report that a person has been bitten by an animal, an Animal Welfare Officer shall issue a notice to the person owning, keeping or harboring the animal which states that confinement and observation of the animal are required. (Ord. No. 23145, § 2, 10-3-06)

Oklahoma City Municipal Code § 8-194 Confinement and observation of animal required.

§ 8-194. - Confinement and observation of animal required. Upon receiving the notice required by Section 8-193, the person owning, harboring, or keeping the animal that in the preceding ten days has bitten or is suspected of having bitten any person, shall have the animal immediately placed in confinement for rabies observation. (Ord. No. 23145, § 2, 10-3-06)

Oklahoma City Municipal Code § 8-195 Period and method of confinement and observation.

§ 8-195. - Period and method of confinement and observation. (a) An animal that has in the proceeding ten days bitten a person or is suspected of having bitten a person shall be confined for a period of ten days from the date of any bite or suspected bite. The place of confinement shall be at the sole discretion of the Superintendent, who may impound the animal, allow the animal to be placed under the supervision of a licensed veterinarian, or allow the animal to be confined by the owner. Provided, however, the Superintendent shall not permit confinement by the owner unless the Superintendent deems the owner to be capable of providing the secure confinement and observation required and of following instructions pertaining to observation and reporting and the animal is in compliance with the provisions of this Chapter pertaining to rabies vaccination. (b) The veterinarian or person in custody of the animal must immediately advise the Animal Welfare Division of any changes occurring in the condition of the animal. (c) If no changes are reported within the ten-day observation period, the division shall make responsible inquiry regarding the suspect animal's condition. (d) In the event of the suspect animal's death or illness, the person so designated as responsible for the animal shall immediately notify the division and make arrangements with the division for the removal and shipment of the animal's head to the laboratory of the State Department of Environmental Quality for examination. (e) In no event shall the suspect animal be removed from the City limits until released by the Superintendent or his/her specifically authorized representative. (Ord. No. 23145, § 2, 10-3-06)

Oklahoma City Municipal Code § 8-196 Seizure and impoundment by Animal Welfare Officer.

§ 8-196. - Seizure and impoundment by Animal Welfare Officer. In the event the person who owns, harbors or keeps the animal specified in Section 8-192 cannot, with due diligence, be located or notified as provided in Section 8-193, or, in the event the person who owns, harbors, or keeps the animal specified in this division, refuses or fails to place the animal in confinement as required by this division after notice to do so has been given, an Animal Welfare Officer shall seize and impound the animal and place it in confinement for the required observation period. The division shall thereafter notify the owner or keeper of the animal of the seizure, impoundment and confinement. If, subsequent to the seizure and impoundment of the animal by the Animal Welfare Officer, the owner or keeper of the animal cannot be located or notified and if the animal remains unclaimed at the expiration of the confinement period, the division may dispose of the animal pursuant to the provisions of this Chapter concerning the disposition of unclaimed, impounded animals. (Ord. No. 23145, § 2, 10-3-06)

Oklahoma City Municipal Code § 8-197 Euthanasia.

§ 8-197. - Euthanasia. In special circumstances, the Superintendent may order the euthanasia of an animal and may order the performance of tests for the diagnosis of rabies, provided, however, that, prior to disposing of the animal, the Superintendent shall attempt to locate and notify the owner of the animal. For purposes of this section, special circumstances shall be defined as those situations involving severe animal bites upon the head, face, neck or upper extremities, or deep lacerations, or multiple animal bite wounds. (Ord. No. 23145, § 2, 10-3-06)

Oklahoma City Municipal Code § 8-198 Duty of practitioners and clinics to report animal bites.

§ 8-198. - Duty of practitioners and clinics to report animal bites. (a) Duty to report animal bites. It shall be the duty of every attending practitioner, licensed to practice medicine, osteopathic medicine or veterinary medicine, and of any other person knowing of or in attendance on a case involving an animal bite to report that bite to the Animal Welfare Division and/or the Health Department within 24 hours of his/her first knowledge or attendance. (b) Duty of clinic or hospital to report animal bites. It shall be the duty of every clinic or hospital which has knowledge of a case involving an animal bite to report that case to the Animal Welfare Division and/or the Health Department within 24 hours of its first knowledge thereof. (Ord. No. 23145, § 2, 10-3-06)

Oklahoma City Municipal Code § 8-199 Contents of reports.

§ 8-199. - Contents of reports. The reports required by Section 8-198 shall contain the following information: (a) the name, address and gender of the person bitten; (b) the type and location of the bite; (c) the name and address of the owner of the animal which inflicted the bite; and (d) any other facts which may assist the Animal Welfare Division or the Health Department in ascertaining the location and immunization status of the animal which inflicted the bite. (Ord. No. 23145, § 2, 10-3-06)

Oklahoma City Municipal Code § 8-200 Immunized animals exposed to rabies; re-immunization, confinement and observation required; means of confinement and observation.

§ 8-200. - Immunized animals exposed to rabies; re-immunization, confinement and observation required; means of confinement and observation. (a) Re-immunization, confinement and observation required. Any effectively immunized animal which is suspected of having been exposed to rabies and which is in compliance with the provisions of this Chapter shall be immediately re-immunized and confined for observation for symptoms of rabies for a period of not less than 90 days. (b) Means of confinement and observation. To provide the required confinement and observation, the suspect animal may be seized by the Animal Control Officer and placed in confinement at the Animal Shelter under the supervision of a veterinarian for the required period of observation. If the owner or keeper of the suspect animal possesses sufficient facilities and is able to adequately confine and observe the animal, the confinement and observation period may, at the discretion of the Superintendent, be provided for by the owner or keeper. (Ord. No. 23145, § 2, 10-3-06)

Oklahoma City Municipal Code § 8-201 Non-immunized animals exposed to rabies.

§ 8-201. - Non-immunized animals exposed to rabies. Any animal which has not been effectively immunized against rabies and which is suspected of having been exposed to rabies shall be euthanized immediately either by the veterinarian in charge or by a representative of the Animal Welfare Division; or, in the alternative, the non-immunized rabies-exposed animal shall be seized by an animal control officer and strictly quarantined at the Oklahoma City Animal Welfare Shelter, or a veterinary hospital or clinic, and observed for any symptoms of rabies for a period of six months from the date of the suspected exposure. The quarantined animal shall be immunized against rabies at least 30 days prior to its release. (Ord. No. 23145, § 2, 10-3-06)

Oklahoma City Municipal Code § 8-202 Non-immunized animal exposed to wild skunk, bat or carnivore.

§ 8-202. - Non-immunized animal exposed to wild skunk, bat or carnivore. Any non-immunized animal which has been exposed to a wild skunk, bat or carnivore or which is suspected of having been exposed to a wild skunk, bat or carnivore shall be considered exposed to rabies and shall be dealt with pursuant to the provisions of this Chapter, unless such skunk, bat or carnivore is available for laboratory study. (Ord. No. 23145, § 2, 10-3-06)

Oklahoma City Municipal Code § 8-203 Duties of supervising veterinarian; duty of Animal Welfare Division Superintendent; disposition of suspect animal.

§ 8-203. - Duties of supervising veterinarian; duty of Animal Welfare Division Superintendent; disposition of suspect animal. (a) Duty to isolate and observe. It shall be the duty of the veterinarian under whose supervision any animal specified in this article is placed for confinement and observation to keep the animal isolated in a separate pen or kennel and under observation for any symptoms of rabies. (b) Duty to report; notification of Health Department by Animal Welfare Division Superintendent. The veterinarian shall report immediately to the Animal Welfare Superintendent any changes occurring in the condition of the animal. Upon such notification, the Superintendent, or his/her duly authorized representative, shall immediately notify the Director of the Health Department of the changes reported to him. (c) Release of suspect animal. Animals impounded for rabies observation may not be released by the veterinarian until authorized in writing by the Animal Welfare Division of the City. (Ord. No. 23145, § 2, 10-3-06)

Oklahoma City Municipal Code § 8-204 Fees and charges.

§ 8-204. - Fees and charges. The owner of any animal impounded and held for rabies observation or surrendered and held for rabies observation shall pay to the City a fee for such observation along with fees and charges for the boarding and care of the animal. In cases where special testing and/or euthanasia are required, the owner shall pay a fee to the City for such services. The amount of such fees shall be as set forth in Chapter 60 - General Schedule of Fees. (Ord. No. 23145, § 2, 10-3-06)

Source: City of Oklahoma City, Municipal Code and City Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/ok/oklahoma_city/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=OKMUCO2020_CH8AN_ARTIVRADICO_DIV2GEFetched: 10/28/2026