GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2017
SESSION LAW 2017-106
SENATE BILL 74
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.
In the General Assembly read three times and ratified this the 26th day of June, 2017.
s/ Daniel J. Forest
President of the Senate
s/ Tim Moore
Speaker of the House of Representatives
s/ Roy Cooper
Governor
Approved 1:56 p.m. this 12th day of July, 2017