Full Statute Name:  West's Code of Georgia Annotated. Title 31. Health. Chapter 19. Control of Rabies

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Primary Citation:  Ga. Code Ann., § 31-19-1 to 10 Country of Origin:  United States Last Checked:  October, 2023 Alternate Citation:  GA ST § 31-19-1 to 10 Historical: 
Summary: This GA statute pertains to the control of rabies. Any person bitten by an animal suspected of being rabid must notify the county board of health. The owner of any animal which has bitten any person or animal, or exhibits signs of rabies, must notify the county board of health. The owner must also confine the animal. A violation is a misdemeanor.

 

§ 31-19-1 . Responsibility for the control of rabies
 
§ 31-19-2 . Powers of department

§ 31-19-3 . Licensing, regulation of animals by local authorities

§ 31-19-4 . Duty of persons to notify

§ 31-19-5 . Inoculation of canines and felines against rabies

§ 31-19-6 . Repealed by Laws 1992, p. 2089, § 2, eff. July 1, 1992

§ 31-19-7 . County rabies control officer

§ 31-19-8 . Joint administration by adjoining counties

§ 31-19-9 . Applicability to municipalities

§ 31-19-10 . Violation of chapter a misdemeanor

 

§ 31-19-1. Responsibility for the control of rabies

Each county board of health shall have primary responsibility for the control of rabies within its jurisdiction. Such boards, in addition to their other powers, are empowered and required to adopt and promulgate rules and regulations for the prevention and control of such disease.

CREDIT(S)

Laws 1945, p. 448, § 2; Laws 1964, p. 499, § 1.


§ 31-19-2. Powers of department

The department may declare any county or any area therein or any group of counties or areas therein where rabies exists to be an infected area and may provide for immunization and such other measures as shall be indicated for the prevention and control of the disease.

CREDIT(S)

Laws 1964, p. 499, § 1.

 

§ 31-19-3. Licensing, regulation of animals by local authorities

The governing authorities of each county and municipality are authorized and required, in the control of rabies, to require regulation or licensing of animals.

CREDIT(S)

Laws 1964, p. 499, § 1; Laws 1969, p. 834, § 2.

 

§ 31-19-4. Duty of persons to notify

It shall be the duty of any person bitten by any animal reasonably suspected of being rabid immediately to notify the appropriate county board of health. It shall be the duty of the owner, custodian, or person having possession and knowledge of any animal which has bitten any person or animal or of any animal which exhibits any signs of rabies to notify the appropriate county board of health and to confine such animal in accordance with rules and regulations of the county board of health.

CREDIT(S)

Laws 1945, p. 448, § 10; Laws 1964, p. 499, § 1.

 

§ 31-19-5. Inoculation of canines and felines against rabies

The county boards of health are empowered and required to adopt and promulgate rules and regulations requiring canines and felines to be inoculated against rabies and to prescribe the intervals and means of inoculation, the fees to be paid in county sponsored clinics, that procedures be in compliance with the recommendations of the National Association of State Public Health Veterinarians for identifying inoculated canines and felines, and all other procedures applicable thereto. As used in this chapter, the term “inoculation against rabies” means the administering by a licensed veterinarian of antirabies vaccine approved by the department.

CREDIT(S)

Laws 1945, p. 448, § 3; Laws 1964, p. 499, § 1; Laws 1969, p. 834, § 3; Laws 1992, p. 2089, § 1.

 

§ 31-19-6. Repealed by Laws 1992, p. 2089, § 2, eff. July 1, 1992


§ 31-19-7. County rabies control officer

(a) The county board of health shall appoint a person who is knowledgeable of animals to be the county rabies control officer. It shall be the duty of the county rabies control officer to enforce this chapter and other laws which regulate the activities of dogs.

(b) The county governing authority of each county is authorized to levy a fee not to exceed 50¢ for each dog, such fee to be collected by the veterinarian administering the antirabies vaccine required by this chapter. This fee shall be in addition to that provided for in Code Section 31-19-5. If any county has no resident veterinarian, the out-of-county veterinarian administering the antirabies vaccine and collecting the fee provided for by this Code section shall forward to the treasurer of the county of the dog owner's residence the fee prescribed by that county's governing authority.

(c) The fees collected under this Code section shall be used to help in paying the salary of the county rabies control officer.

CREDIT(S)

Laws 1969, p. 834, § 5; Laws 1982, p. 3, § 31.

 

§ 31-19-8. Joint administration by adjoining counties

The governing authority of each county may devise and implement plans whereby this chapter, as amended, is administered jointly with one or more adjoining counties.

CREDIT(S)

Laws 1969, p. 834, § 6.

 

§ 31-19-9. Applicability to municipalities

This chapter shall not apply to municipalities which already have a rabies control law unless and until such law is repealed.

CREDIT(S)

Laws 1945, p. 448, § 13; Laws 1969, p. 834, § 7.


§ 31-19-10. Violation of chapter a misdemeanor

Any person who violates any provision of this chapter or any rule or regulation adopted pursuant thereto shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.

CREDIT(S)

Laws 1945, p. 448, § 11; Laws 1964, p. 499, § 1.

 

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