Ch 3: Section four: Other pertinent state laws
New York State Sanitary Code
Regulatory agency: NYS Dep't. of Health
Applicable to: all New Yorkers
License required: N/A
Read the law:
online—http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?cl=91&a=85
print—Public Health Law Article 21 Title 4, sections 2140–2146 and
Chapter 1, Title 10 Part 2, section 2.14
This law deals with the control of rabies, the reporting of potentially rabid
animals and of human and animal exposures to a potentially rabid animal. It
also specifies what happens to a potentially rabid animal (wild animals and
domestic animals may be treated differently) and what happens to a domestic
animal that was exposed to a known rabid animal. The law also calls for rabies
vaccinations of cats under certain conditions.
The full text of the sanitary code is included at the end of this chapter. Here
are the key points:
- If you suspect an animal is rabid, you must report it to the local health
authority immediately. ["Rabies suspect" is defined in section 5
(e).]
- Bats and any animal other than a dog, cat, ferret, or domestic livestock
suspected of being rabid shall be destroyed immediately and submitted for
rabies testing, with the approval of the local health authority.
- Health care providers must report all cases of human exposure to rabies
to the local health authority immediately. ("Exposure" is defined
in (a) 2.)
- If a person has been potentially exposed to rabies by a dog, cat, ferret,
or domestic livestock, the local health authority may have the animal confined
for 10 days at the owner's expense. With the owner's approval, the health
authority may have the animal destroyed immediately and submitted for rabies
testing.
- If the owner cannot be determined, the costs fall to the person who asked
for the confinement. In this case, if confinement isn't possible or desirable,
the animal may be destroyed immediately and submitted for testing.
- Should an animal develop signs of rabies during its isolation, it shall
be destroyed and submitted for rabies testing.
- Any mammal that's been in direct contact with a known rabid animal shall
either be destroyed or quarantined for six months. The costs are paid by the
owner. If the animal was vaccinated before the exposure, it may be isolated
under the owner's control if it receives a booster shot within five days of
exposure. Any animal under such restrictions shall not be moved from one health
district to another during the quarantine period except with the permission
of the health authorities in both districts.
- Whenever rabies is confirmed in a county, all cats in that county who are
over three months old must be vaccinated (this doesn't apply to tourists staying
less than 15 days, to animals in shelters, hospitals, research facilities,
or breeding facilities).
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