Section 144-251-3 - Responding to reports of animals suspected of having rabiesA.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 animals1. 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 animalsA.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.10-144 C.M.R. ch. 251, § 3