“Rabies,” as used in this chapter, includes rabies, and any other animal disease dangerous to human beings that may be declared by the department as coming under this chapter.

“Quarantine,” as used in this chapter, means the strict confinement, upon the private premises of the owner, under restraint by leash, closed cage, or paddock, of all animals specified in the order of the department.

“Rabies area” shall mean any area not less than a county as determined by the director within a region where the existence of rabies constitutes a public health hazard, as found and declared by the director. A region shall be composed of two or more counties as determined by the director. The status of an area as a rabies area shall terminate at the end of one year from the date of the declaration unless, not earlier than two months prior to the end of the year, it is again declared to be a rabies area in the manner provided in this section. If however, the director at any time finds and declares that an area has ceased to be a rabies area its status shall terminate upon the date of the declaration.

Whenever any case of rabies is reported as existing in any county or city, the department shall make, or cause to be made, a preliminary investigation as to whether the disease exists, and as to the probable area of the state in which the population or animals are endangered.

If upon the investigation the department finds that rabies exists, a quarantine shall be declared against all animals as are designated in the quarantine order, and living within the area specified in the order.

Following the order of quarantine the department shall make or cause to be made a thorough investigation as to the extent of the disease, the probable number of persons and animals exposed, and the area found to be involved.

The department may substitute for the quarantine order regulations as may be deemed adequate for the control of the disease in each area.

All peace officers and boards of health shall carry out the provisions of this chapter.

During the period for which any quarantine order is in force any officer may kill or in his or her discretion capture and hold for further action by the department any animal in a quarantine area, found on public highways, lands, and streets, or not held in restraint on private premises as specified in this chapter.

Any proper official within the meaning of this chapter may examine and enter upon all private premises for the enforcement of this chapter.

Except as provided in Sections 121705 and 121710, every person who possesses or holds any animal in violation of the provisions of this chapter is guilty of an infraction, punishable by a fine not exceeding one thousand dollars ($1,000).

For the purpose of providing funds to pay expenses incurred in connection with the eradication of rabies, the rabies treatment and eradication fund is continued in existence in each county or city in this state.

All money collected for dog license taxes shall be deposited to the credit of this fund with the treasurer of the county or city; but funds now collected from any dog tax may continue to be collected and used for other purposes specified by local ordinances.

Upon the determination by the department that rabies exists in any county or city, a special dog license tax shall immediately become effective, unless a dog tax is already in force the funds from which are available for the payment of expenditures in accordance with this chapter.

This tax shall be levied as follows: An annual tax of one dollar and fifty cents ($1.50) for each male, two dollars and fifty cents ($2.50) for each female, and one dollar and fifty cents ($1.50) for each neuter dog. It shall be collected by the proper authority at the same time and in the same manner as other taxes are collected; except that at the first collection the proportion of the annual tax as corresponds to the number of months the tax has been in operation plus one year advance payment shall be collected.

After this dog license tax has been established in a county or city, it shall be continued in force until an order has been issued by the department declaring that county, or the portion of that county as may be deemed advisable, to be free from rabies or further danger of its spread.

One half of all fines collected by any court or judge for violations of this chapter shall be placed to the credit of the rabies treatment and eradication fund of the county or city where the violation occurred.

Whenever it becomes necessary in the judgment of the department, to enforce this chapter in any county or city, the department may institute special measures of control to supplement the efforts of the local authorities in any county or city whose duties are specified in this chapter.

All expenditures incurred in enforcing the special measures shall be proper charges against the special fund referred to in this chapter, and shall be paid as they accrue by the proper authorities of each county or city where they have been incurred; but all expenditures that may be incurred after the issuance of the order establishing the tax and before the first collection of the tax, shall be paid as they accrue from the general fund of the county or city.

All expenditures in excess of the balance of money in this fund shall likewise be paid as they accrue from the general fund. All money thus expended from the general fund shall be repaid from the special fund when the collections from the tax have provided the money.