OAR 333-019-0027: Pet Licensing, Animal Bites, and Rabies: Management of Possibly Rabid Animals

(1) An animal is considered to have been in close contact with an animal suspected of having rabies when, within the past 180 days, it has been bitten, mouthed, mauled by, or closely confined with a rabid animal or any mammal suspected of having rabies. (2) The disposition of such animals and of animals suspected of having rabies that have not bitten humans shall be determined by the local public health authority as follows: (a) Inadequately vaccinated dogs, cats, and ferrets shall be destroyed immediately, if the owner permits. If the owner does not agree to this, the animal shall be confined as prescribed by the local public health authority for a period of four months for dogs and cats and six months for ferrets under the observation of a licensed veterinarian or a person designated by the local public health authority. A rabies vaccine must be administered at the time of entry into quarantine to bring the animal up to current rabies vaccination status. (b) Dogs, cats, and ferrets that are adequately vaccinated shall be revaccinated immediately and observed in confinement for 45 days by a person designated by the local public health authority. If the owner prefers, such animals can be destroyed (in lieu of confinement) with the concurrence of the local public health authority. (c) Unless the owner prefers to hold any unvaccinated livestock or wild animals born and raised in captivity in confinement for six months, such animals shall be destroyed. Livestock that are current on rabies vaccination with a USDA-licensed vaccine approved for that species should be given a booster vaccination immediately and observed for 45 days. (d) Unless otherwise specified, all other mammals shall be destroyed. (e) For the purposes of this rule, confinement shall be within an enclosure or with restraints deemed adequate by the local public health authority to prevent contact with any member of the public or any other animal. Nothing in these rules or in OAR 333-019-0024 shall be interpreted to require any public authority to bear the costs of such confinement. (3) Nothing in these rules is intended or shall be construed to limit the power of any city, city and county, county or district in its authority to enact more stringent requirements to regulate and control animals within its jurisdiction.