600-43 Animal Bites

Question 1

Any employee who knows of an animal bite or scratch to a person by an animal capable of transmitting rabies, or who knows of an animal the employee suspects is rabid, shall report the incident or the animal to the____ listed in this General Order.

Answer 1

local rabies control authority

Question 2

This General Order does not apply to HPD service animals except if an HPD service animal bites a person and soon thereafter _____, the animal’s handler or rider shall immediately make the animal available for testing by the local rabies control authority.

Answer 2

exhibits any abnormal behavior

Question 3

Animal Enforcement Officer.

Answer 3

A person employed by the City of Houston Administration and Regulatory Affairs Department, BARC Animal Shelter and Adoptions Division, Animal Enforcement section to enforce animal control regulations.

Question 4

BARC Animal Shelter and Adoptions (BARC).

Answer 4

The division under the City of Houston Administration and Regulatory Affairs Department that is responsible for the City’s animal shelter, animal adoptions, and enforcement of animal regulations.

Question 5

Custodian.

Answer 5

A person or agency, whether or not an owner, that feeds, shelters, harbors, has possession or control of, or has the responsibility to control an animal. The owner of an animal shall be deemed to be a custodian of the animal.

Question 6

Dangerous Dog.

This term is defined in §822.041 of the Texas Health and Safety Code as a dog that does one of the following:

Answer 6

a. Makes an unprovoked attack on a person that causes bodily injury and occurs in a place other than an enclosure in which the dog was being kept and that was reasonably certain to prevent the dog from leaving the enclosure on its own.

b. Commits an unprovoked act in a place other than an enclosure in which the dog was being
kept and that act causes a person to reasonably believe that the dog will attack and cause bodily injury to that person.

Question 7

Low-Risk Animals.

Answer 7

Animals named in Chapter 169.22 of the Texas Administrative Code as having a low probability of transmitting rabies; they include all animals of the orders Didelphimorphia, lnsectivora, Rodentia, Lagomorpha, and Xenarthra (e.g., opossums, shrews, moles, squirrels, gophers, mice, rabbits, rats, and armadillos).

Question 8

High-Risk Animals.

Answer 8

Animals named in Chapter 169.22 of the Texas Administrative Code as having a high probability of transmitting rabies; they include skunks, bats, foxes, coyotes, and raccoons.

Question 9

Running At Large/Run At Large.

Answer 9

Refers to an animal that is allowed to go on public or private property without its owner or a person having direct physical control over the animal. The terms include any animal that is staked, tied, or hobbled in any manner as to allow the animal to
access public streets or sidewalks.

Question 10

Stray.

Answer 10

An animal or pertaining to an animal that roams with no physical restraint.

Question 11

Vicious Animal.

Answer 11

An animal that kills or inflicts serious bodily injury to a person by attacking, biting, or mauling.

Question 12

Wild Animal.

Answer 12

This term is defined in Section 6-51 of the Houston Code of Ordinances as any mammal, amphibian, reptile, or fowl of a species that is wild by nature and that, because of its size, vicious nature, or other characteristics, is dangerous to human beings (e.g., lions, tigers,
bears, chimpanzees, gorillas, bobcats, and coyotes).

Question 13

OFFICERS’ RESPONSIBILITIES

When an officer arrives on a scene involving a dangerous, vicious, stray, or wild animal that
poses a nuisance or a danger but there is no attack or bite to a person, the officer shall _____ to capture or contain the animal.

Answer 13

contact the City’s BARC Animal Shelter and Adoptions Division (BARC)

Question 14

OFFICERS’ RESPONSIBILITIES

When an officer arrives on a scene involving an animal bite to a person, the officer shall:

a. Deal with any ____. Secure and contain the scene as best as possible. Protect against anyone being bitten or attacked, and also warn nearby neighbors regarding the active scene.

b. Obtain appropriate information about the ____.

c. If the animal becomes mobile, attempt to _____

d. Contact ____, inform them of the details, and follow their instructions.

Answer 14

1) immediate threats

2) suspected animal, the victim, and the incident

3) keep the animal in sight.

4) BARC

Question 15

OFFICERS’ RESPONSIBILITIES
When an officer arrives on a scene involving an animal bite to a person, the officer shall:

If BARC arrives at the scene before officers clear the call, officers shall:

k. Turn over the ____ to BARC’s authority.

I. Turn over any _____ to the animal enforcement officer.

m. Render any ____.

n. When the scene is safe and secure, return to duty and clear the call by stating it was turned
over to BARC. However, officers shall still ____ for future reference (a report in this instance does not need to be turned over to BARC).

Answer 15

1) incident and the scene

2) information gathered

3) assistance needed

4) make an incident report

Question 16

OFFICERS’ RESPONSIBILITIES
When an officer arrives on a scene involving an animal bite to a person, the officer shall:

If BARC cannot make the scene in a timely manner (less than an hour), officers shall continue the investigation by:

e. Obtaining complete information on what the animal and victim were doing prior to, during,
and after the bite.

f. Advising the victim to seek immediate medical attention from a physician or hospital.

g. Attempting to locate the animal’s custodian or owner and obtaining the following information:
____, ____, ____, ____, ____.

i. Completing a detailed and thorough incident report.

j. Advising the victim to contact BARC regardless of the seriousness of the bite.

Answer 16

1. Whether or not the animal has been vaccinated.
2. Name of the veterinarian used by the owner or custodian.
3. The location of the animal, if not already known.
4. Whether or not the owner or custodian allows the animal to roam as a stray.
5. Whether or not the animal has suffered from any diseases or medical problems.

Question 17

RABIES

When an officer arrives on a scene involving an animal that is suspected of having rabies, the
officer shall:

a. Deal with any _____. ____as best as possible. Protect against anyone being bitten or attacked.

b. Contact BARC, inform them of the details, and ____.

c. Follow other appropriate procedures outlined in section 1 of this General Order.

Answer 17

1) immediate threats

2) Secure and contain the scene

3) follow their instructions

Question 18

Rabies is an acute viral disease that affects the central nervous system. It can infect both humans and other mammals. It is transmitted through close contact with saliva from infected animals (i.e., bites, licks on broken skin, and mucous membranes). Once symptoms of the disease develop, rabies is fatal to animals and almost always fatal to humans.

NOTE: The key to human survival of rabies is __.

Answer 18

quick diagnosis and immediate treatment

Question 19

Only ____ can get rabies; birds, fish, reptiles, amphibians, and other animals cannot.

Mammals with rabies may show a variety of signs (e.g., fearfulness, aggression, excessive
drooling, difficulty swallowing, staggering, seizures, and self-mutilation). Rabid wild animals
may display _____

Answer 19

1) mammals

2) only unusual behavior (e.g., a nocturnal animal may be seen wandering in the daytime).

Question 20

Except as otherwise provided by the ____, owners of certain domestic pets (e.g., dogs, cats, and ferrets) are mandated to have their animals vaccinated against rabies by the time the animal is ____ of age and at regular intervals as prescribed by TBOH.

A veterinarian who vaccinates an animal against rabies will issue to the animal’s owner a ____ in a form that meets the minimum standards approved by the TBOH.

Answer 20

1) Texas Board of Health (TBOH)

2) four months

3) vaccination certificate

Question 21

RESPONSE TO RESISTANCE
If any person is attacked by an animal or is in imminent danger of being attacked by an animal, officers are authorized to use any response necessary up to and including deadly force to stop the animal (see General Orders 600-17, Response to Resistance and 200-16, Firearm and Soft-Impact Weapon Discharges). However, if the situation can be contained without further danger of attack or injury, officers shall turn over the capture or destruction of the animal to ____.

NOTE: Unless it is unavoidable, officers shall not use a _____ against an animal.

If an animal must be immediately destroyed, officers should avoid _____

Answer 21

1) BARC

2) conducted energy device

3) damaging the head of the animal (the brain is needed for rabies testing).

Question 22

DEAD ANIMALS
When officers are dispatched to investigate a dead animal and the animal is considered high
risk or the animal has bitten someone, officers shall:

a. _____ upon arrival.

b. Contact ____, inform them of the details, and follow their instructions.

c. Follow other appropriate procedures as outlined in section 1 of this General Order.

Answer 22

1) Secure the scene

2) BARC

Question 23

DEAD ANIMALS
When officers are dispatched to investigate a dead animal and the animal is considered low
risk and the animal has not bitten anyone, officers shall:

d. If possible, place or have the animal placed (without directly touching it) in a plastic bag for
the _____ to pick up.

e. Try to secure the area to prevent _____

f. Advise the citizen to call ____ and request pick up by the Solid Waste Management Department, Dead Animal Collection section.

When officers are dispatched to investigate a dead animal that was probably killed by a domestic animal (usually a pet), officers shall follow the above directives.

Answer 23

1) City of Houston Solid Waste Management Department

2) contamination or human, animal, or insect contact.

3) 3-1-1

Question 24

RABIES CONTROL ACT

BARC makes the final decision on what happens to an animal that has bitten a person. BARC has the authority to enforce all provisions of the Rabies Control Act of 1981 (§826, Texas Health and Safety Code).

BARC cannot be overruled by other persons, including_____

Answer 24

county judges, veterinarians, chiefs of police, or pet owners.