Update on dog bite from April 4th, 2021 that injured a child and mother in Guernsey County. We would like to inform the public that the dog that was involved in the incident is currently being housed at The Guernsey County Dog Shelter for the period of its quarantine. The quarantine is ordered by the Board of Health, in which the Dog Warden will assist until the period of quarantine is up. We would like to inform the public of the proper process when it comes to a dog bite in Guernsey County:
Ohio Revised Code 955.261 Duties after dog bites person: (A)(1) No person shall remove a dog that has bitten any person from the county in which the bite occurred until a quarantine period as specified in division (B) of this section has been completed. No person shall transfer a dog that has bitten any person until a quarantine period as specified in division (B) of this section has been completed, except that a person may transfer the dog to the county dog warden or to any other animal control authority.
(2)(a) Subject to division (A)(2)(b) of this section, no person shall kill a dog that has bitten any person until a quarantine period as specified in division (B) of this section has been completed.
(b) Division (A)(2)(a) of this section does not apply to the killing of a dog in order to prevent further injury or death or if the dog is diseased or seriously injured.
(3) No person who has killed a dog that has bitten any person in order to prevent further injury or death or if the dog is diseased or seriously injured shall fail to do both of the following:
(a) Immediately after the killing of the dog, notify the board of health for the district in which the bite occurred of the facts relative to the bite and the killing;
(b) Hold the body of the dog until that board of health claims it to perform tests for rabies.
(B) The quarantine period for a dog that has bitten any person shall be ten days or another period that the board of health for the district in which the bite occurred determines is necessary to observe the dog for rabies.
(C)(1) To enable persons to comply with the quarantine requirements specified in divisions (A) and (B) of this section, boards of health shall make provision for the quarantine of individual dogs under the circumstances described in those divisions.
(2) Upon the receipt of a notification pursuant to division (A)(3) of this section that a dog that has bitten any person has been killed, the board of health for the district in which the bite occurred shall claim the body of the dog from its killer and then perform tests on the body for rabies.
(D) This section does not apply to a police dog that has bitten a person while the police dog is under the care of a licensed veterinarian or has bitten a person while the police dog is being used for law enforcement, corrections, prison or jail security, or investigative purposes. If, after biting a person, a police dog exhibits any abnormal behavior, the law enforcement agency and the law enforcement officer the police dog assists, within a reasonable time after the person is bitten, shall make the police dog available for the board of health for the district in which the bite occurred to perform tests for rabies.
(E) As used in this section, “police dog” has the same meaning as in section 2921.321 of the Revised Code.
Ohio Revised Code 955.26 Rabies Quarantine: Whenever, in the judgment of the director of health, any city or general health district board of health, or persons performing the duties of a board of health, rabies is prevalent, the director of health, the board, or those persons shall declare a quarantine of all dogs in the health district or in a part of it. During the quarantine, the owner, keeper, or harborer of any dog shall keep it confined on the premises of the owner, keeper, or harborer, or in a pound, kennel, or other suitable place, at the expense of the owner, keeper, or harborer, except that a dog may be permitted to leave the premises of its owner, keeper, or harborer if it is under leash or under the control of a responsible person. The quarantine order shall be considered an emergency and need not be published.
When the quarantine has been declared, the director of health, the board, or those persons may require vaccination for rabies of all dogs within the health district or part of it. Proof of rabies vaccination within a satisfactory period shall be demonstrated to the county auditor before any registration is issued under section 955.01 of the Revised Code for any dog that is required to be vaccinated.
The director shall determine appropriate methods of rabies vaccination and satisfactory periods for purposes of quarantines under this section.
When a quarantine of dogs has been declared in any health district or part of a health district, the county dog warden and all other persons having the authority of police officers shall assist the health authorities in enforcing the quarantine order. When rabies vaccination has been declared compulsory in any health district or part of a health district, the dog warden shall assist the health authorities in enforcing the vaccination order.
Notwithstanding this section, a city or general health district board of health may make orders pursuant to sections 3709.20 and 3709.21 of the Revised Code requiring the vaccination of dogs.
As you can see we are under and follow the guidance of the Board of Health and the Ohio Revised Code.
