Oklahoma Administrative Code
Title 310 - Oklahoma State Department of Health
Chapter 599 - Zoonotic Disease Control
Subchapter 1 - General Provisions
Section 310:599-1-2 - Definitions

The following words and terms, when used in this chapter, shall have the following meanings, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

"Animal" means any warm-blooded mammal.

"Cat" means any Felis catus.

"Currently vaccinated" means properly immunized by or under the supervision of a licensed veterinarian with an antirabies vaccine licensed and approved by the United States Department of Agriculture for use in that animal species, or meeting conditions specified in OAC 310:599-3-8. Vaccine must have been given at appropriate time interval(s) for the age of the animal and type of vaccine administered. Within 28 days after initial vaccination, a peak rabies antibody titer is expected, and the animal is considered immunized. Regardless of the age of the animal at initial vaccination, a booster vaccination should be administered one year later, then at appropriate time intervals based on the type of vaccine administered.

"Department" means the Oklahoma State Department of Health.

"Department designee" means an employee of the Oklahoma State Department of Health, or a county health department, who is acting within their scope of rabies control authority designated through the Commissioner of Health.

"Dog" means any Canis familiaris, excluding hybrids.

"Domestic animal" means a companion animal including dogs, cats, and ferrets; an equine animal; or a livestock animal.

"Euthanize" means the humane killing of an animal generally performed by a veterinarian, or personnel at an animal control facility under the indirect supervision of a veterinarian.

"Exposure to rabies" means a bite or introduction of saliva or neural tissue into open cuts in skin, or onto mucous membranes by an animal confirmed or suspected of being infected with rabies.

"Ferret" means any Mustela putorius furo.

"First party ownership" means a situation where the owner of a biting animal is directly related to the bite victim, that is parent-child, sibling-sibling, grandparent-child; or when the legal residence of the animal owner and the bite victim are the same.

"Home quarantine" means confinement and observation of an animal allowed at the animal owner's property for a specified time period, where one of the following acceptable methods of confinement for a dog are used:

(a) complete indoor housing,

(b) caging or kenneling in an enclosure with a securely latched door, or

(c) yard confinement with perimeter fencing that the dog is unable to climb over or dig under. Acceptable methods of confinement for a cat or ferret are:

(a) complete indoor housing, or

(b) caging in an enclosure that prevents escape. The animal's needs for ambient temperature control, water, nutrition, elimination, and space to comfortably stand up and lie down must be adequately provided by the selected confinement method. Should the animal exhibit neurologic signs, die, or disappear during the specified period, an Oklahoma licensed veterinarian and the Department shall be immediately notified.

"Hybrid" means an offspring of wild animals crossbred to domestic dogs or cats; considered to be wild animals in the enforcement of OAC 310:599.

"Quarantine" means physical confinement of an animal during a specified time period when the animal is monitored for the development of disease. During this time period, the animal is prevented from having contact with other animals, and human contact is limited to as few caretakers as possible.

"Rabies" means an acute disease of humans and warm-blooded mammals caused by the rabies virus (genus Lyssavirus) that affects the central nervous system and is almost always fatal.

"Recognized animal control facility" means any facility operating for the purpose of stray animal control and/or animal welfare that is under contract or letter of agreement which identifies a licensed veterinarian responsible for animal quarantines.

"Recognized zoological park" means any member of the American Association of Zoological Parks.

"Severe injury" means any physical injury that results in broken bones or lacerations requiring multiple sutures or cosmetic surgery. [4 O.S. Supp. 1991, § 44 (3)]

"Wild animal" means an animal considered as wildlife; any animal not normally adapted to live in intimate association with humans nor raised for consumption by humans.

"Zoonotic disease" means a disease that is transmissible from animals to humans under natural conditions.

Added at 14 Ok Reg 3581, eff 7-18-97 (emergency); Added at 15 Ok Reg 2367, eff 6-11-98; Amended at 17 Ok Reg 2945, eff 7-13-00