GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 2017

S                                                                                                                                                     2

SENATE BILL 74

Health Care Committee Substitute Adopted 4/6/17

 

Short Title:      Update Rabies Control Laws.

(Public)

Sponsors:

 

Referred to:

 

February 15, 2017

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT implementing the recommendations and guidelines of the national association of state public health veterinarians regarding the management of dogs, cats, and ferrets exposed to rabies.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.  G.S. 130A‑197 reads as rewritten:

"§ 130A‑197.  Infected animals to be destroyed; protection of vaccinated animals.Management of dogs, cats, and ferrets exposed to rabies.

When the local health director reasonably suspects that an animal required to be vaccinated under this Part has been exposed to the saliva or nervous tissue of a proven rabid animal or animal reasonably suspected of having rabies that is not available for laboratory diagnosis, the animal shall be considered to have been exposed to rabies. An animal exposed to rabies shall be destroyed immediately by its owner, the county Animal Control Officer or a peace officer unless the animal has been vaccinated against rabies in accordance with this Part and the rules of the Commission more than 28 days prior to being exposed, and is given a booster dose of rabies vaccine within five days of the exposure. As an alternative to destruction, the animal may be quarantined at a facility approved by the local health director for a period up to six months, and under reasonable conditions imposed by the local health director.The recommendations and guidelines for rabies post‑exposure management specified by the National Association of State Public Health Veterinarians in the most current edition of the Compendium of Animal Rabies Prevention and Control shall be the required control measures."

SECTION 2.  This act becomes effective October 1, 2017.