1. (a) When a dog, cat, or domestic ferret which has bitten a human has been identified, the custodian will place the animal in quarantine as defined in the Texas Health and Safety Code, §826.002, until the end of the 10-day observation period. The animal must also be quarantined if there is probable cause to believe that it has otherwise exposed a human to rabies. The observation period will begin at the time of the exposure. The animal must be placed in a department-licensed quarantine facility specified by the local rabies control authority and observed at least twice daily. However, the local rabies control authority may allow the animal to be quarantined in a veterinary clinic. As an alternative, the local rabies control authority may allow home confinement. If the potential rabies exposure occurs in a city or county other than where the animal's custodian resides, the animal may be transferred to a department-licensed quarantine facility or a veterinary clinic in the city or county of the custodian's residence or allowed home confinement, if applicable, if there is mutual agreement to do so between the local rabies control authorities for the city or county where the exposure occurred and where the custodian resides. The alternative to quarantining (to include home confining) a dog, cat, or domestic ferret is to have the animal humanely killed in such a manner that the brain is not damaged and a suitable specimen (head with brain intact or brain) submitted to a department-designated laboratory for rabies testing as specified in subsection (h) of this section. To allow home confinement, the following criteria must be met.

   1. (1) A secure enclosure approved by the local rabies control authority must be used to prevent escape.
   2. (2) The animal has been vaccinated against rabies and the time elapsed since the most recent vaccination has not exceeded the manufacturer recommendations for the vaccine. If an unvaccinated animal is not over 16 weeks of age at the time of the potential exposure, it may be allowed home confinement.
   3. (3) The local rabies control authority or a veterinarian must observe the animal at least on the first and last days of the home confinement.
   4. (4) The animal was not a stray as defined in the Texas Health and Safety Code, §826.002, at the time of the potential exposure.
2. (b) A domestic animal which has potentially exposed a human and has been designated by the local rabies control authority as unowned may be humanely killed. A suitable specimen shall be submitted for rabies testing as specified in subsection (h) of this section.
3. (c) If the animal implicated in the potential exposure is a high-risk animal, it shall be humanely killed and a suitable specimen submitted for rabies testing as specified in subsection (h) of this section.
4. (d) If the animal implicated in the potential exposure is a low-risk animal, neither quarantine nor rabies testing will be required unless the local rabies control authority has cause to believe the animal is rabid, in which case it shall be humanely killed and a suitable specimen submitted for rabies testing as specified in subsection (h) of this section.
5. (e) The local rabies control authority may require an animal which has inflicted multiple bite wounds, punctures, or lacerations to a person to be humanely killed and a suitable specimen submitted for rabies testing as specified in subsection (h) of this section.
6. (f) If the animal implicated in the potential exposure is not included in subsection (a), (b), (c), (d), or (e) of this section, the animal will be humanely killed and a suitable specimen submitted for rabies testing as specified in subsection (h) of this section or the local rabies control authority may require the animal to be quarantined at a department-licensed quarantine facility or a veterinary clinic, or confined elsewhere as deemed appropriate by the local rabies control authority for the 30-day observation period as an alternative to killing and testing. If the potential rabies exposure occurs in a city or county other than where the animal's custodian resides, the animal may be transferred to a department-licensed quarantine facility or a veterinary clinic in the city or county of the custodian's residence or allowed confinement deemed appropriate if there is mutual agreement to do so between the local rabies control authorities for the city or county where the exposure occurred and where the custodian resides.
7. (g) Any animal required to be quarantined under this section, which cannot be maintained in secure quarantine, shall be humanely killed and a suitable specimen submitted for rabies testing as specified in subsection (h) of this section.
8. (h) All laboratory specimens referred to in subsections (a) - (g) of this section shall be submitted in accordance with §169.33 of this title (relating to Submission of Specimens for Laboratory Examination).
9. (i) At the discretion of the local rabies control authority, assistance animals may not be required to be placed in quarantine (to include confinement) during the observation period.
10. (j) Police service animals are exempted from quarantine per the Texas Health and Safety Code, §826.048, including confinement.
11. (k) Animals should not be vaccinated against rabies during the observation period; however, animals may be treated for unrelated medical problems diagnosed by a veterinarian. If the animal becomes ill during the observation period, the local rabies control authority must be notified by the person having possession of the animal.

Source Note:The provisions of this §169.27 adopted to be effective April 1, 1980, 5 TexReg 812; amended to be effective March 29, 1988, 13 TexReg 1337; amended to be effective February 22, 1993, 18 TexReg 845; amended to be effective February 21, 1996, 21 TexReg 963; amended to be effective August 21, 1996, 21 TexReg 7660; amended to be effective July 12, 1998, 23 TexReg 7224; amended to be effective March 19, 2003, 28 TexReg 2341; amended to be effective December 20, 2007, 32 TexReg 9341.