Rhode Island Code of Regulations › Title 250 - Department of Environmental Management › Chapter 40 - Agriculture and Resource Marketing › Subchapter 05 - Animal Health › Part 2 - Rules and Regulations Governing the Prevention, Control, and Suppression of Rabies Within the State of Rhode Island (250-RICR-40-05-2) › Section 250-RICR-40-05-2.4 - Definitions

Current through June 14, 2024
A. As used in these rules and regulations,
				  the following terms shall, where the context permits, be construed as follows:
1. "Animal control officer" or "ACO" means
				  any person(s) employed by a city or town as a canine control officer, a dog or
				  animal warden or a police officer responsible for animal control delegated
				  authority by the Rhode Island Rabies Control Board.
2. "Attacking animal" means the animal that
				  caused potential exposure to the rabies virus with exposure as defined in
				  §
											2.4(A)(10)
				  of this Part. An animal may be classified as both an attacking animal and
				  victim animal as defined in §
											2.4(A)(19) 
				  of this Part, in certain circumstance, including but not limited to fights
				  between animals.
3. "Cat" means any
				  member of Felis catus (excluding hybrids with wild felines).
4. "Currently vaccinated" means
				  administration of a vaccine that has been properly stored and subsequently
				  injected by or under the direct supervision of a licensed veterinarian with a
				  rabies vaccine licensed for use in that species by the U.S. Department of
				  Agriculture (USDA) and satisfying the following criteria:
a. For dogs, cats and ferrets:
(1) The manufacturer's protocol with regards
				  to minimum age of animal as well as frequency and intervals of vaccination(s)
				  was followed; and
(2) At least
				  thirty (30) days have elapsed since the initial vaccination; and
(3) Not more than twelve (12) months have
				  elapsed since the last vaccination if last vaccination was the initial
				  vaccination or the animal is a ferret, or if the vaccine has an annual booster
				  recommendation. Dogs, cats, and ferrets shall be considered currently
				  vaccinated if the last booster was administered within the time frame specified
				  by the "Compendium of Animal Rabies Prevention and Control" incorporated above
				  at §
													2.3(A) of
				  this Part regarding frequency and interval of vaccination for the particular
				  product used and for the specific species for which the product was
				  used.
(4) For dogs, cats, and
				  ferrets that were previously vaccinated but are not considered currently
				  vaccinated, either one of the following must apply:
(AA) Dogs, cats, and ferrets presented for
				  vaccination that are overdue at the time of booster vaccination by any
				  timeframe for a booster on a one-year certificate, or if overdue by more than
				  six-months on a three-year or longer duration certificate, are required to
				  receive a booster vaccination with the resultant vaccination certificate having
				  an expiration date no greater than one year from the date of administration of
				  the booster.
(BB) Dogs, cats, and
				  ferrets presented for vaccination that are overdue at the time of vaccination
				  by less than six months as determined by the expiration date on a three-year or
				  longer duration certificate, may be issued a certificate up to the duration of
				  immunity stated on the product label upon vaccination.
(5) Vaccine status will be determined from
				  the dates on the most recent rabies vaccination certificate. It will be the
				  responsibility of the animal owner to maintain and produce that document as
				  proof of vaccine status.
b. For all other species for which there
				  exists an unconditionally licensed rabies vaccine, the animals must be
				  vaccinated against rabies in accordance with the "Compendium of Animal Rabies
				  Prevention and Control" incorporated above at §
												2.3(A) of
				  this Part.
c. Failure or inability
				  by the owner/keeper of a dog, cat or ferret to present or make available a
				  rabies certificate or a copy thereof to an ACO investigating a possible rabies
				  exposure shall result in classification of the animal in question as not
				  currently vaccinated against rabies.
5. "Director" means the Director of the
				  Department of Environmental Management or his/her duly authorized
				  designee.
6. "Dog" means any member
				  of Canis familiaris, excluding hybrids with wild canids.
7. "Domestic animal" means animals which,
				  through extremely long association with humans, have been bred to a degree
				  which has resulted in genetic changes affecting the temperament, color,
				  conformation or other attributes of the species to the extent that makes them
				  unique and distinguishable from wild individuals of their species. This
				  includes, but is not limited to, the following:
a. Domestic dog (Canis familiaris);
b. Domestic cat (Felis catus);
c. Domestic horse (Equus caballus);
d. Domestic cattle (Bos taurus and Bos
				  indicus);
e. Domestic sheep (Ovis
				  aries)
8. "Environmental
				  Police Officer" means any commissioned environmental police officer for the
				  Department of Environmental Management, Division of Law Enforcement.
9. "Euthanasia" means the humane destruction
				  of an animal accomplished by a method that involves nearly instantaneous loss
				  of consciousness followed immediately by death or by a method that involves
				  anesthesia produced by an agent which causes painless and rapid loss of
				  consciousness and death during that period of unconsciousness. All methods of
				  euthanasia must comply with Rhode Island General Laws and with the most current
				  AVMA Guidelines for the Euthanasia of Animals incorporated above at §
											2.3(B) of
				  this Part.
10. "Exposure" means the
				  possible exposure to the rabies virus via a direct bite or scratch, which
				  results in a break in the skin of the victim, or contact between infectious
				  material such as saliva or central nervous system tissue and fluid with mucosa
				  of the eye, nose or mouth, or a via pre-existing break in the skin.
11. "Ferret" means any member of the family
				  Mustela putorius or Common European Ferret.
12. "Guardian" means a person(s) having the
				  same rights and responsibilities as an owner, and the terms may be used
				  interchangeably. A guardian shall also mean a person who possesses, has title
				  to or an interest in, harbors or has control, custody or possession of an
				  animal and who is responsible for an animal's safety and well-being.
13. "Manual" means the State of Rhode Island
				  and Providence Plantations Manual for Rabies Management and Protocols Guidance
				  Document.
14. "Owner" means any
				  person or agency keeping, harboring or having charge or control of or
				  responsibility for control of an animal or any person or agency which permits
				  any dog, cat, ferret, or domestic animal to habitually be fed within that
				  person's yard or premises. This term shall not apply to veterinary facilities,
				  any licensed boarding kennel, municipal pound, pet shop, or animal shelter See
				  R.I. Gen. Laws §
											4-13-1.2.
15. "Person(s)" means an individual, firm,
				  joint stock company, partnership, association, private or municipal
				  corporation, trust, estate, state, commission, political subdivision, any
				  interstate body, the federal government or any agency or subdivision of the
				  federal government, other government entity, or other legal entity.
16. "Quarantine" means the act of holding an
				  animal for the purpose of prevention of spread of rabies, for a definite period
				  of time and in a manner that prevents contact of that animal with other
				  animals, or the public, at an escape-proof facility that has been approved for
				  this use by the State Veterinarian. For livestock only, quarantine may be
				  carried out at the farm where the animal is usually kept provided that access
				  by the public can be restricted and the animal can be kept isolated from other
				  susceptible species.
17.
				  "Quarantine facility" means a facility that has been approved by an authorized
				  representative of the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management for
				  the purpose of quarantine (as defined above).
18. "Strict confinement" means:
a. For attacking animals - The act of
				  confining an animal at the home of the animal in a manner that the animal is
				  not allowed to run free and is not allowed to have contact with any person or
				  animal that does not reside at that location. This type of action may be
				  ordered in lieu of quarantine at the discretion of the Animal Control Officer
				  and only when the animal being held in strict confinement is currently
				  vaccinated against rabies (as defined above) and is not considered at high risk
				  of escaping, and the owner of the animal is considered by the Animal Control
				  Officer to be certain to adhere to the order for strict confinement.
b. For animals that are the victims of wounds
				  of unknown origin or are victim animals - The act of confining an animal at the
				  home of the animal in a manner that the animal is not allowed to run free and
				  is not allowed to have contact with any person or animal that does not reside
				  at that location. This type of action may be ordered in lieu of quarantine at
				  the discretion of the Animal Control Officer and only when the animal is not
				  considered a high risk of escaping and the owner of the animal is considered by
				  the Animal Control Officer to be certain to adhere to the order for Strict
				  Confinement.
19. "Victim
				  animal" means the animal that was potentially exposed to the rabies virus in
				  accordance with exposure as defined in §
											2.4(A)(10) 
				  of this Part. An animal may be classified as both a victim animal and an
				  attacking animal in certain circumstance, including but not limited to fights
				  between animals.