Code of Maine Rules
10 - DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
144 - DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES - GENERAL
Chapter 251 - RULES GOVERNING RABIES MANAGEMENT
Section 144-251-3 - Responding to reports of animals suspected of having rabies
Universal Citation: 10 ME Code Rules ยง 144-251-3
Current through 2024-38, September 18, 2024
A. Stray domesticated animals
(1) Suspect rabid animals that are stray
shall be controlled or captured by the ACO.
(2) The ACO shall coordinate with and
transport sick, stray animals suspected of having rabies directly to a
veterinarian or, if a veterinarian is unavailable, to an animal shelter where
it shall be placed in strict isolation until a veterinarian can examine the
animal.
(3) A law enforcement
officer or ACO qualified to shoot may shoot in accordance with local ordinance
or otherwise humanely euthanize a suspect rabid animal if harm to humans or
other animals is imminent. The animal must not be shot in the head, nor must
the head be destroyed or disposed of, but instead must be submitted to HETL for
testing if there is any chance that there was contact between the suspect
animal and humans or domesticated animals.
(4) If testing of the suspect rabid stray
animal is necessary, the ACO shall arrange for decapitation and assure
transportation of the head to HETL. The carcass must be disposed of properly as
per the "Animal Carcass Disposal" recommendations contained in the Rabies
Management Guidelines.
B. Owned domesticated animals
(1) Control and capture of owned domesticated
animals is the responsibility of the owner or keeper.
(2) The owner must coordinate with and
transport sick animals directly to a veterinarian.
(3) An owner of an animal suspected of having
rabies must notify the municipality wherein the owner or animal
resides.
(4) The municipality may
capture and control owned domesticated animals if the municipality regards the
animal as a threat to public health.
(5) A law enforcement officer or ACO
qualified to shoot may shoot in accordance with local ordinance or otherwise
humanely euthanize a suspect rabid animal if harm to humans or other animals is
imminent. The animal must not be shot in the head, nor must the head be
destroyed or disposed of, but instead must be submitted for testing.
(6) If testing of the suspect rabid animal is
necessary, the owner or keeper must arrange for decapitation of the animal and
assure transportation of the head to HETL. The carcass must be disposed of
properly as per the Rabies Management Guidelines. An ACO may assist in
coordination if the municipality regards the animal as a threat to public
health.
C. Undomesticated animals
1. A game
warden shall assist the ACO in responding to reports of suspect rabid
undomesticated animals.
2. If human
or domesticated animal exposure has occurred, the undomesticated animal should
be shot in accordance with local ordinance or otherwise humanely euthanized by
a law enforcement officer, game warden, ADC agent or qualified ACO. The animal
must not be shot in the head, nor must the head be destroyed or disposed of,
but instead must be submitted to HETL for testing.
3. The Department of Inland Fisheries &
Wildlife personnel shall prepare the animal and arrange for submission and
transportation of the animal to HETL for rabies testing. The carcass must be
disposed of properly as per the "Animal Carcass Disposal" recommendations in
the Rabies Management Guidelines.
4.
Responding to reports of
domesticated animals that bite or otherwise expose humans or other domesticated
animals
A.
Unhealthy
domesticated animals: Any domesticated animal showing unusual behavior
or signs of illness must be examined by a veterinarian to determine if testing
is necessary.
B.
Owned dogs,
cats and ferrets: Regardless of rabies vaccination status, healthy owned
dogs, cats and ferrets must be confined for ten days from the time of exposure
and observed daily for signs of rabies (as per Section 9). At the discretion
of Maine CDC, currently vaccinated assistance, therapy, and police dogs may not
be required to be placed in confinement during the observation
period.
C.
Stray dogs:
Must be confined and observed for ten days in a State-licensed animal shelter
or euthanized and tested. Pursuant to 7 M.R.S.A. §3913(4), an animal
shelter must hold a stray dog for at least eight days before euthanasia unless
the dog is severely sick, severely injured or extremely vicious, in which case,
pursuant to 7 M.R.S.A. §3913(6), euthanasia may occur
immediately.
D.
Stray
cats: Pursuant to 7 M.R.S.A. §3919-A, cats without identification
must be held for 48 hours and feral cats must be held for 24 hours in a
State-licensed animal shelter before euthanasia, then may be euthanized and
tested with concurrence from the municipality and Maine CDC or be confined and
observed daily for ten days at a state licensed animal shelter.
E.
Other animals: Other animals,
including livestock, that might have exposed a person or other domesticated
animal to rabies should be reported immediately to Maine CDC. Management of
animals other than dogs, cats, and ferrets depends on the species, the
circumstances of the exposure, the epidemiology of rabies in the area, the
exposing animal's history, current health status, and the animal's potential
for exposure to rabies.
Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. Maine may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
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