Informed Citizens

The City of Holyoke aims to have all dogs inoculated for rabies to keep the local population safe. Nevertheless, Holyoke Municipal Code stipulates that any dog that bites a person hard enough to break skin must be quarantined for 10 days as a precaution.

Sec. 6.08.060.
Rabies; quarantine.

(a) Any dog which is known to have bitten or injured any person so as to cause an abrasion of the skin, or a dog which, in the opinion of a member of the police department or any licensed veterinarian of the state, appears to be inflicted with rabies shall be closely confined by its owner in accordance with the directions of a member of the police department for a period of not fewer than ten days.

(b) It is unlawful for any person knowing or suspecting a dog has rabies to allow the dog to be taken off his premises or beyond the limits of the city without the written permission of the animal control officer or the police chief. Every owner, or other person, upon ascertaining a dog is rabid, shall immediately notify the animal control officer or the police chief who shall either remove the dog to the pound or summarily destroy it.

(c) If the owner of the dog referred to in this section cannot be determined or located, then a member of the police department or the animal control officer shall otherwise confine the dog for a period of not fewer than ten days. If the owner of the dog is not determined or located, or the dog claimed within ten days, then the chief of police may order the animal destroyed. All costs incurred for the confinement of a dog under this section shall be paid by the owner of the dog. If the dog is determined to be suffering from rabies, it shall be destroyed forthwith.