BITING OR POTENTIALLY RABID ANIMALS; QUARANTINE/CONFINEMENT OR OTHER DISPOSITION
Salt Lake City Code § 8.04.280
in effect8.04.280: BITING OR POTENTIALLY RABID ANIMALS; QUARANTINE/CONFINEMENT OR OTHER DISPOSITION:
A. Report Requirements: An animal that has rabies or is suspected of having rabies, or any animal bitten by another animal infected with rabies or by an animal suspected of having rabies, shall be reported by the owner or person having information as set forth in section 8.04.270 of this chapter, or its successor, and shall immediately be confined in a secure place by the owner. The owner shall turn over the animal to the office of animal services upon demand.
B. Surrender Of Animal: The owner of any animal of a species subject to rabies which has bitten shall surrender the animal to any authorized official upon demand. Any person authorized to enforce this title may enter upon private property to seize the animal; if the owner refuses to surrender the animal, the person authorized to enforce this title shall obtain any authorization necessary, if any such authorization is required, prior to proceeding with the seizure and impoundment of the animal.
C. Seizure, Confinement Or Quarantine:
1. Any animal of a species subject to rabies that bites a person or animal, or is suspected of having rabies, may be seized and quarantined for observation as determined by the animal services director or designee. In consultation with a veterinarian when deemed necessary by the director or designee, the potentially rabid animal shall be quarantined or confined for observation in accordance with the current compendium of animal rabies control, as amended, and with office policy and procedure. The owner of the animal shall bear the cost of confinement. The animal shelter shall be the normal place for quarantine, but other arrangements, including confinement by the owner, may be made by the director of animal services and/or the director of the health department if the animal had a current rabies vaccination at the time the bite was inflicted or if there are other special circumstances justifying an exception.
2. A person who has custody of an animal under quarantine shall immediately notify the office of animal services if the animal shows any signs of sickness or abnormal behavior, or if the animal escapes confinement. It is unlawful for any person who has custody of a quarantined animal to fail or refuse to allow a Valley health department or animal services officer to make an inspection or examination during the period of quarantine. If the animal dies within ten (10) days from the date of bite, the person having custody shall immediately notify the office of animal services or immediately remove and deliver the head to the state health laboratory to be examined for rabies. If, at the end of the quarantine period, the director of animal services, or his/her designee, examines the animal and finds no sign of rabies, the animal may be released to the owner or, in the case of a stray, it shall be disposed of as provided in section 8.04.340 of this chapter, or its successor.
D. Unvaccinated Bitten Animals:
1. In the case of an unvaccinated animal species subject to rabies which is known to have been bitten by, or otherwise exposed to a known rabid animal, such bitten or exposed animal should be immediately euthanized. Animals with expired rabies vaccinations of six (6) months or more shall be considered unvaccinated for the purpose of this section.
2. If the owner is unwilling to euthanize the bitten or exposed animal, the animal shall be immediately isolated and quarantined for six (6) months under veterinary supervision, the cost of such confinement to be paid in advance by the owner. The animal shall be vaccinated one month before being released. The animal shall be euthanized if the owner does not comply herewith.
E. Vaccinated Bitten Animals:
1. If the bitten or exposed animal has been vaccinated, the animal shall be revaccinated within twenty four (24) hours, kept under home confinement, and observed for forty five (45) days; or
2. If the animal is not revaccinated within twenty four (24) hours, the animal shall be isolated and monitored according to the current compendium of animal rabies control, as amended.
3. The animal shall be euthanized if the owner does not comply with subsections E1 and E2 of this section.
F. Bitten Animals With Expired Vaccinations: Animals with expired rabies vaccinations of six (6) months or less shall be evaluated on a case by case basis.
G. Removal Of Quarantined Animals: It is unlawful for any person to remove any such animal from the place of quarantine without written permission of the office of animal services. (Ord. 21-14, 2014)
Source: Salt Lake City, Utah, City Code (American Legal Publishing, codelibrary.amlegal.com)URL: https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/saltlakecityut/latest/saltlakecity_ut/0-0-0-49587Fetched: 11/1/2026