§ 101. Definitions [formerly paragraph 3:001]
§ 103. Mandatory Vaccinations of Dogs, Cats, and Ferrets [formerly paragraph 3:002]
§ 105. Human Exposure to Domestic Animal Bites [formerly paragraph 3:003]
§ 107. Domestic Animals Bitten by Rabid Animals [formerly paragraph 3:004]
§ 109. Animals Suspected of Being Infected with Rabies [formerly Paragraph 3:006]
§ 111. Confinement of Animals [formerly paragraph 3:007]
§ 101. Definitions [formerly paragraph 3:001]
A. Unless otherwise specifically provided herein, the following words and terms used in this Part of the Sanitary Code and all other Parts which are adopted or may be adopted are defined for the purposes thereof as follows.
Local Health Authority—any parish or municipal health officer, department or other agency charged with the responsibility of preserving the public health.
Owner—any person who keeps in his care or who harbors or has custody of a dog or other animal.
Prairie Dogs—[formerly paragraph 3:009] any burrowing rodents of the genus Cynomys. Prairie dogs can harbor monkeypox. Prairie dogs are also known to be a host for fleas, which carry the causative agent of Plague, the bacteria Yersinia pestis. These fleas have the potential to infect other wild animals, as well as domestic animals and humans. Prairie dogs are not indigenous to Louisiana.
Vaccination—the injection, by a licensed veterinarian, of an animal using anti-rabies vaccine approved by the state health officer.
Wild Animal—any animal species wherein the majority of its members are not maintained by humans for recreational, commercial food production, agricultural, research, or industrial purposes. Other than possibly endangered species, the majority of the members of such a species live primarily in a natural or non-domestic environment. Wolves, wolf hybrids, and feline species other than Felis felis/domestic cat hybrids, in circumstances involving rabies vaccination or rabies exposure, will be regarded as wild animals.
Zoonotic disease—a disease in humans caused by an infectious agent transmitted from animals to humans. Zoonotic diseases include, but are not limited to, anthrax (caused by Bacillus anthracis) and plague (caused by Yersinia pestis).
AUTHORITY NOTE: The first source of authority for promulgation of the sanitary code is in R.S. 36:258(B), with more particular provisions throughout Chapters 1 and 4 of Title 40 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes. This Part is promulgated in accordance with the provisions of R.S. 40:5(2), (3) and (10) together with the specific provisions of R.S. 40:4A(2)(a) and R.S. 40:1277.
HISTORICAL NOTE: Promulgated by the Department of Health and Hospitals, Office of Public Health, LR 28:1223 (June 2002), amended LR 33:650 (April 2007).
§ 103. Mandatory Vaccinations of Dogs, Cats, and Ferrets [formerly paragraph 3:002]
A. No person shall own, keep or have in his custody a dog, cat, or ferret over 3 months of age that has not been vaccinated against rabies by a licensed veterinarian. Every owner of a dog, cat, or ferret shall cause said animal to be vaccinated initially with a series of two vaccinations, the first to be administered at 3 months of age, the second to be administered one year after the initial vaccination. Dogs, cats, or ferrets initially vaccinated later than 3 months of age shall also be administered a series of two vaccines, the second vaccine to be given one year after the initial vaccination. Thereafter, the interval between revaccinations shall conform to the Compendium of Animal Rabies Prevention and Control,2016 Edition, Part II, Section B and Appendix 1: Rabies Vaccines Licensed and Marketed in the United States, 2016, which is published by the National Association of State Public Health Veterinarians, Inc. Vaccine licensing and labeling, including duration of immunity, is authorized by the Center for Veterinary Biologics at the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and those decisions are based on testing conducted by the vaccine manufacturer. The results of testing are presented to USDA during the registration process.
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AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with the provisions of R.S. 40:4(A)(2)(a), R.S. 40:5(A) (2)(10)(11) and R.S. 40:1269.3.
HISTORICAL NOTE: Promulgated by the Department of Health and Hospitals, Office of Public Health, LR 28:1223 (June 2002), amended LR 33:650 (April 2007), LR 41:2657 (December 2015), amended by the Department of Health, Office of Public Health, LR:45:670 (May 2019).
§ 105. Human Exposure to Domestic Animal Bites [formerly paragraph 3:003]
A. When any dog, cat, or ferret bites a human being, said animal shall be confined (as described in § 111) for a minimum of 10 days following the bite, or said animal shall be killed and the head submitted immediately to a laboratory of the Louisiana Department of Health for examination for rabies. During the observation period a rabies vaccine should not be administered to the animal to avoid confusing signs of rabies with possible side effects of vaccine administration. Any dog, cat, or ferret that develops any signs during the 10 day observation period shall be reported immediately to the local health authority and, provided such signs are compatible with rabies as determined by a licensed veterinarian or the official state public health veterinarian, the animal shall be killed and the head submitted to a laboratory of the Louisiana Department of Health for examination.
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AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with the provisions of R.S. 40:4A(2)(a), and R.S. 40:1269.3.
HISTORICAL NOTE: Promulgated by the Department of Health and Hospitals, Office of Public Health, LR 28:1223 (June 2002), amended LR 33:650 (April 2007), amended by the Department of Health, Office of Public Health, LR:45:671 (May 2019).
§ 107. Domestic Animals Bitten by Rabid Animals [formerly paragraph 3:004]
A. When bitten by a rabid animal, unvaccinated dogs, cats, or ferrets shall be destroyed immediately unless the owner is unwilling to have this done, in which case, the unvaccinated animal shall be confined (as described in § 111) for four months for dogs and cats and six months for ferrets being released. A rabies vaccine shall be administered at the time of entry into quarantine (confinement) to bring the animal up to current rabies vaccination status. Administration of the vaccine shall be done as soon as possible. It is recommended that the period from exposure to vaccination not exceed 96 hours. If vaccination is delayed the official state public health veterinarian may consider increasing the quarantine period for dogs and cats from four to six months. Dogs, cats, or ferrets that are currently vaccinated shall be re-vaccinated immediately and confined (as described in § 111) for 45 days.
1. Overdue dogs and cats. Dogs and cats that are overdue for a booster vaccination and that have appropriate documentation of having received a USDA-licensed rabies vaccine at least once previously shall immediately receive a booster vaccination and shall be kept under the owner's control and observed for 45 days. Dogs and cats that are overdue for a booster and without appropriate documentation of having received a USDA-licensed rabies vaccine at least once previously shall be:
a. treated as unvaccinated, immediately given a booster vaccination and placed in strict quarantine; or
b. the official state public health veterinarian may consider use of prospective serological monitoring (PSM) of the animal to document prior vaccination by providing evidence of an anamnestic response to booster vaccination. If the official state public health veterinarian authorizes PSM, the animal shall be strictly quarantined while PSM is performed. If the official state public health veterinarian confirms that PSM provides evidence of an anamnestic response, the period of strict quarantine may be ended, and the animal may be kept under the owner's control and observed for 45 days. If there is inadequate evidence of an anamnestic response, the animal is considered to have never been vaccinated and shall be placed in strict quarantine for 4 to 6 months.
2. Overdue ferrets. Ferrets that are overdue for a booster shall be considered unvaccinated and shall be immediately vaccinated for rabies and strictly quarantined for 6 months.
B. All species of livestock exposed to a rabid animal and currently vaccinated with a vaccine approved for that species by the United States Department of Agriculture should be re-vaccinated immediately and observed for 45 days. Unvaccinated livestock should be slaughtered immediately.
C. Other mammals, including wild animals, exposed to a rabid animal should be euthanized immediately.
D. Animals maintained in a United States Department of Agriculture licensed research facility or accredited zoological parks will be evaluated on a case by case basis by the official state public health veterinarian.
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AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with the provisions of R.S. 40:4(A)(2)(a), and R.S. 40:1269.3.
HISTORICAL NOTE: Promulgated by the Department of Health and Hospitals, Office of Public Health, LR 28:1223 (June 2002), amended LR 33:651 (April 2007), amended by the Department of Health, Office of Public Health, LR:45:671 (May 2019).
§ 109. Animals Suspected of Being Infected with Rabies [formerly Paragraph 3:006]
A. Any animal other than a dog, cat, or ferret that bites a human being, or any animal that is suspected of being infected with rabies (whether or not it has bitten anyone), may be required by the state health officer or official state public health veterinarian, for the protection of the public health, to be killed and the head of such animal examined for rabies free of charge by a laboratory of the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals.
AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with the provisions of R.S. 40:4A(2)(a), and R.S. 40:1277.
HISTORICAL NOTE: Promulgated by the Department of Health and Hospitals, Office of Public Health, LR 28:1223 (June 2002), amended LR 33:651 (April 2007).
§ 111. Confinement of Animals [formerly paragraph 3:007]
A. Where confinement is required under the provisions of this Code, the owner, veterinarian, animal shelter or other custodian of the animal shall confine said animal in a cage or in another manner such that the animal cannot contact any person or other animal. Tethering is not permitted.
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AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with the provisions of R.S. 40:4A(2)(a), and R.S. 40:1269.3.
HISTORICAL NOTE: Promulgated by the Department of Health and Hospitals, Office of Public Health, LR 28:1224 (June 2002), amended LR 33:651 (April 2007), amended by the Department of Health, Office of Public Health, LR:45:671 (May 2019).