PARRIS N. GLENDENING, Governor                             Ch. 684

(b) The information in the rabies vaccination record that a licensed veterinarian
keeps may not be used:

(1)     To license the dog [or], cat, OR FERRET; or

(2)     To tax the owner of the dog [or], cat, OR FERRET.

18-320.

(a) AN APPARENTLY HEALTHY DOG, CAT, OR FERRET THAT HAS BEEN
ADEQUATELY VACCINATED AGAINST RABIES AS PROVIDED IN § 18-318 OF THIS
SUBTITLE THAT BITES OR OTHERWISE EXPOSES A HUMAN TO RABIES SHALL BE
QUARANTINED AS PROVIDED IN SUBSECTION (C) OF THIS SECTION.

(B) Except as provided in subsection [(d)] (F) (E) of this section, an
APPARENTLY HEALTHY DOG. CAT. OR FERRET THAT HAS BEEN ADEQUATELY
VACCINATED AGAINST RABIES IN ACCORDANCE WITH § 18-318 OF THIS SUBTITLE OR
ANY OTHER animal THAT IS NOT SUBJECT TO THE PROVISIONS OF SUBSECTION (A)
OF THIS SECTION that bites a human or otherwise exposes a human to rabies shall be
quarantined AS PROVIDED IN SUBSECTION (C) (B) OF THIS SECTION.

(C) (B) AN ANIMAL UNDER QUARANTINE SHALL BE QUARANTINED in a
place, which may include the residence of the owner, in the manner designated by the
local health officer or the public health veterinarian for a suitable period as determined
by the health officer or the public health veterinarian.

[(b)] (D) (C) (1) At any time during the quarantine period, the public health
veterinarian or local health officer may order the owner of a biting animal to have the
animal monitored for rabies by a licensed veterinarian.

(2) The owner of the animal shall pay for the cost of any examination or
other associated cost.

[(c)] (E) (D) An animal under quarantine may not be moved from the place of
quarantine without the written permission of the local health officer or public health
veterinarian.

[(d)](F) (E) The public health veterinarian or local health officer OR THE
DESIGNEE OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH VETERINARIAN OR LOCAL HEALTH OFFICER may
order the immediate and humane destruction of a biting animal THAT IS CLINICALLY
SUSPECTED TO BE RABID for rabies testing if:

(1)     It is necessary to preserve human health;

(2)     A licensed veterinarian determines that a quarantined animal is
inhumanely suffering; or

(3)     The animal is considered wild and is not claimed by an owner within 24
hours.

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect
October 1, 1996.

Approved May 23, 1996.

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