1. (a) When a domestic dog, cat, or domestic ferret which has bitten a human has been identified, the owner or custodian will be required to place the animal in quarantine until the end of the 10-day observation period. Unvaccinated animals should not be vaccinated against rabies during the observation period; however, animals may be treated for unrelated medical problems diagnosed by a veterinarian. The observation period will begin at the time of the bite incident. 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. The animal must be placed in a department licensed 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 placed in a veterinary clinic. As an alternative, the local rabies control authority may allow home quarantine if the following criteria can 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 label recommendations for the vaccine. If an unvaccinated animal is not over four months of age at the time of the bite, it may be allowed home quarantine.
   3. (3) The local rabies control authority or a licensed veterinarian must observe the animal at least on the first and last days of the quarantine period.
   4. (4) The animal was not a stray (as defined in the Texas Health and Safety Code, §826.002) at the time of the bite.
2. (b) A domestic animal which has bitten a human and has been designated by the local rabies control authority as unclaimed may be humanely killed in such a manner that the brain is not mutilated. A suitable specimen (head with brain intact or brain) shall be submitted to a department certified laboratory for rabies diagnosis as specified in subsection (h) of this section.
3. (c) If the biting animal 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 biting animal is a low risk animal, neither quarantine nor rabies testing will be required unless the local rabies control authority has cause to believe the biting animal is rabid, in which case it should 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 biting animal is not included in subsection (a), (b), (c), (d), or (e) of this section, the biting 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 or suitably confined for the 30-day observation period as an alternate method to killing and testing.
7. (g) Any animal required to be quarantined under this section, which cannot be maintained in a 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 (b)-(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, currently vaccinated assistance, therapy, and police dogs may not be required to be placed in quarantine during the observation period.

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.