This document outlines Orange County's procedures for government quarantine of dogs entering the United States from other countries or states experiencing rabies outbreaks. It details how Rabies Control staff complete a Rabies Control Investigation Report when notified of an imported dog's arrival and how officers place the dog under quarantine. It also explains that dogs must be vaccinated and quarantined for 30 days, and how staff record quarantine details in a database and file reports when quarantine is complete.

1. COUNTY OF ORANGE
HEALTH CARE AGENCY
REGULATORY HEALTH SERVICES
ANIMAL CARE SERVICES
Number: 600.59
SUBJECT: GOVERNMENT QUARANTINE PROCEDURE FOR RABIES
CONTROL
Page: 1
Date: 6/30/99
Approved: Revised: 03/10/09
I. PURPOSE
To ensure compliance with government regulations regarding importation of dogs from outside
the United States and in special situations from other states experiencing rabies outbreaks.
II. POLICY
Dogs entering the United States from other countries will be quarantined in accordance with the
Department of Health and Human Services, Atlanta, Georgia. The owner will be issued a
Notice to Owners and Importers of Dogs (attachment A) advising them of the quarantine
requirements. For dogs destined for Orange County, a copy of this notice will be sent to Rabies
Control at OC Animal Care. When the notice is received, the Rabies Control Clerk will initiate
a Rabies Control Investigation Report for the dog to be placed under Government quarantine.
III. SCOPE
Applicable to the Rabies Control Clerk.
IV. FORMS
Rabies Control Investigation Report (Animal Bite/Scratch Report) (F272-12.2001.4).
Notice to Owners and Importers of Dogs (COC 75.37).
Memorandum of Return of Notice of Importation.
V. REFERENCES
Not applicable.
VI. DEFINITIONS
Not Applicable.
VII. PROCEDURE
A. Completion of Rabies Control Investigation Report for Government Quarantine (see
attachment A).

2. COUNTY OF ORANGE
HEALTH CARE AGENCY
REGULATORY HEALTH SERVICES
ANIMAL CARE SERVICES
Number: 600.59
SUBJECT: GOVERNMENT QUARANTINE PROCEDURE FOR RABIES
CONTROL
Page: 2
Date: 6/30/99
Approved: Revised: 03/10/09
1. Enter Government Quarantine on line 2a.
2. Enter Dept. of Health, Atlanta, GA or other source of information on line 9.
3. Enter the name of the person completing the report and current date on line 10.
4. Enter date of Entry on line 12a.
5. Enter the owner’s information and the dog’s information on lines 32a-35.
6. Enter map reference for the owner’s address.
7. Enter the Country the dog came from under line 38.
B. Distribution of Reports.
1. Attach the Notice to Owners and Importers of Dogs to the pink copy of the
Rabies Control Investigation Report. File both copies in the active Government
File.
2. The remaining copies of the Rabies Control Investigation Report are to be given
to the Dispatcher for an Officer to place the dog under quarantine
.
3. After the dog has been placed under quarantine, file the original Rabies Control
Investigation Report in the active file by the date of the next action (visit or
quarantine release).
C. Length of Quarantine.
1. Dogs under four (4) months of age are placed under quarantine until they have
been vaccinated for rabies and then quarantined for an additional thirty (30) days
from the date of vaccination.
2. Dogs over four (4) months of age that are not rabies vaccinated with a California
approved vaccine are placed under quarantine and must be rabies vaccinated
within 48 hours. The dogs remain under quarantine for thirty (30) days from the
date of vaccination.
3. Dogs that have been rabies vaccinated for at least thirty (30) days prior to entry
into California with a vaccine approved by the USDA and California
Department of Health Services (excludes almost all foreign vaccinations), are
placed under quarantine and released at the same time, providing they are
healthy. The Clinic Veterinarian or Rabies Control Clerk will be notified
immediately if the animal is found not to be healthy.

3. COUNTY OF ORANGE
HEALTH CARE AGENCY
REGULATORY HEALTH SERVICES
ANIMAL CARE SERVICES
Number: 600.59
SUBJECT: GOVERNMENT QUARANTINE PROCEDURE FOR RABIES
CONTROL
Page: 3
Date: 6/30/99
Approved: Revised: 03/10/09
4. Dogs that have been rabies vaccinated for less than 30 days prior to importation
into California with a vaccine approved by the USDA and California
Department of Health Services (excludes almost all foreign vaccinations) are
placed under quarantine for thirty (30) days from the date of vaccination.
D. Unable to locate dog or dog has moved out California.
1. Fill out a Memorandum of Return of Notice of Importation, checking
appropriate boxes (Attachment C).
2. Mail to: Veterinary Public Health Unit, Centers for Disease Control, 1600
Clifton Road Northeast, Atlanta, Georgia, 30333.
E. Quarantine Release.
1. Pull all copies of the Rabies Control Investigation Report and from the active
file. Discard all copies, keeping only the original and supplemental parts of the
report.
2. Attach the Notice to Owners and Importers of Dogs to the original Rabies
Control Investigation Report.
3. Enter the information on the Rabies Control Investigation Report into the
Chameleon Bite Window with the following steps:
a. BITE NO. The computer will generate a number when the screen is
stored.
b. TYPE. Enter GOV for government quarantine.
c. BITE DATE. Enter the numerical date of when the animal entered the
country.
d. ACTIVITY NO. (ACO use only). ACO will input the Activity number
from the Rabies Control Investigation Report, then press F4. In the
Activity Window, input the animal and person identification, if

4. COUNTY OF ORANGE
HEALTH CARE AGENCY
REGULATORY HEALTH SERVICES
ANIMAL CARE SERVICES
Number: 600.59
SUBJECT: GOVERNMENT QUARANTINE PROCEDURE FOR RABIES
CONTROL
Page: 4
Date: 6/30/99
Approved: Revised: 03/10/09
applicable. Press enter for the owner and animal identification to
transfer to the Bite Window.
e. PRICE. Not applicable.
f. RECEIPT NO. Not Applicable.
g. ANIMAL ID. Enter the animal ID stored by the ACO. Verify that the
bite box is marked with a Y. This will create a bite icon for the animal.
Write the animal id number on line 1a of the bite report.
h. OWNER ID. Create owner id if not found in Chameleon. Verify that the
information on the bite report is the same as in Chameleon.
i. VICTIM ID. Enter P511742. This person id is only used by Rabies
Control Desk.
j. AGE. Not Applicable.
k. RELATION. Do not use.
l. LOCATION. Not Applicable.
m. SEVERITY. Not Applicable.
n. CIRCUMSTANCE. Not Applicable.
o. TREATMENT BY. Not Applicable.
p. DATE. Not Applicable.
q. DESC. Not Applicable.
r. QUARANTINE BEGIN DATE. Date the quarantine is imposed. See
line 40 date of the bite report.
s. BY. OC Animal Care Chameleon id, last name or Agency abbreviation.

5. COUNTY OF ORANGE
HEALTH CARE AGENCY
REGULATORY HEALTH SERVICES
ANIMAL CARE SERVICES
Number: 600.59
SUBJECT: GOVERNMENT QUARANTINE PROCEDURE FOR RABIES
CONTROL
Page: 5
Date: 6/30/99
Approved: Revised: 03/10/09
09917## = OC Animal Care Field Officer.
OC Animal Care Veterinarian’s name = Clinic Veterinarian.
Costa Mesa = CMAC.
Mission Viejo = MVAC.
Seal Beach = SBAC.
Westminster = WAC.
Newport Beach = NBAC.
San Clemente = SCAC.
Irvine = IAC.
Laguna Beach = LBAC.
Santa Ana = SAAC.
Long Beach = LONG.
t. LOCATION. Enter “SHELTER” if quarantined animal is impounded at
OC ANIMAL CARE shelter. Enter “HOME” if quarantine imposed by
OC ANIMAL CARE at home.
u. END DATE. Numerical date the quarantine was ended.
v. ABATED BY. See above QUARANTINED BY.
w. LAB SPECIMEN NO. Not Applicable.
x. HEAD RESULT. Not Applicable.
y. EXAM DATE. Not Applicable.
z. DISPOSITION. Not Applicable.
aa. HEAD DATE. Not applicable.
bb. CONTROLLED BY. Not Applicable.
F. File original Rabies Control Investigation Report and Notice to Owners and Importers
of Dogs in the inactive file by date under Government Quarantine.

6. COUNTY OF ORANGE
HEALTH CARE AGENCY
REGULATORY HEALTH SERVICES
ANIMAL CARE SERVICES
Number: 600.59
SUBJECT: GOVERNMENT QUARANTINE PROCEDURE FOR RABIES
CONTROL
Page: 6
Date: 6/30/99
Approved: Revised: 03/10/09