§ 11.25 Reports and Control of Animal Diseases Communicable to Humans.
RCNY § 11.25
(a)Diseases reportable.
(1)Animals infected with or suspected of having any of the following diseases shall be reported to the Department immediately both by telephone and in writing within 24 hours of diagnosis by submission of a report form via facsimile, mail or electronic transmission acceptable to the Department unless the Department determines that a written report is unnecessary: Anthrax Brucellosis Glanders Influenza caused by novel influenza viral strain with pandemic potential Mpox Plague Q Fever Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) Tularemia (2) Animals infected with any of the diseases set forth in this paragraph shall be reported to the Department within 24 hours of confirmed diagnosis by telephone or in writing by submission of a report form via facsimile, mail or in an electronic transmission acceptable to the Department: Arborviral Encephalitis, acute, (including but not limited to the following viruses: Eastern equine encephalitis virus, Jamestown Canyon virus, La Crosse virus, Powassan virus, Rift Valley fever, St. Louis encephalitis virus, Western equine encephalitis virus, West Nile virus and yellow fever) Avian Chlamydiosis (Psittacosis) Carbapenem-resistant organisms Leptospirosis Rocky Mountain spotted fever Salmonellosis Tuberculosis (3) Rabies. An animal infected with or suspected of having rabies, or an animal capable of contracting rabies which has been bitten by, exposed to, or has been kept together with a rabid animal, shall be reported to the Department immediately by telephone and the report shall be confirmed in writing, either by mail, facsimile or electronic transmission acceptable to the Department, within 24 hours after diagnosis unless the Department determines that a written report is unnecessary.
(4)An outbreak or suspected outbreak of any disease, condition or syndrome, of known or unknown etiology, that may be a danger to public health and that occurs in three or more animals, or (b) any unusual manifestation of a disease in an individual animal, shall be reported to the Department immediately by telephone, and confirmed in writing, either by mail, facsimile or electronic transmission acceptable to the Department, within 24 hours after diagnosis unless the Department determines that a written report is not necessary.
(b)Reports.
(2)In addition to the institutions and persons required to report the diseases specified in this section, every person having knowledge of the existence of an animal exhibiting clinical signs suggestive of rabies or knowledge of an animal which has died or is suspected of having died of rabies, or which was killed because it was suspected of being rabid, shall immediately report to the Department by telephone the existence of the animal, the current location of the animal or where it was kept or seen, the owner's name, if known, and such other information as may be required by the Department.
(3)Reports required by this section shall contain all the information concerning the disease, and all information regarding the infected animal and its owner, required by the Department for the protection of public health. Information shall include, but not be limited to, name of the disease, type of animal involved, location of the animal and the name, telephone number and address of the owner. Such reports shall be prepared using forms furnished by the Department and contain all the information required by such forms.
(c)Infected and exposed animals prohibited. No person shall bring into the City, or keep, or cause or allow to be kept an animal infected with or exposed to any of the diseases listed in this section, or any other diseases which are transmissible from an animal to a human and are a threat to the public's health as determined by the Department, other than for the purpose of receiving care by a licensed veterinarian or animal hospital, unless such animal is used for scientific research in a laboratory approved pursuant to § 504 of the New York State Public Health Law.
(d)Investigation and management.
(e)Confidentiality of reports and records. Reports and records on animals affected with or suspected of having any disease required to be reported to the Department in accordance with this section shall not be subject to inspection by persons other than authorized personnel of the Department. The owner of the animal to whom any such record relates or the owner's legal representative may, however, by signing a written consent, authorize disclosure of the record to identified individuals or entities. This section shall not prevent authorized personnel of the Department from furnishing appropriate information to a veterinarian, physician or institution providing examination or treatment to a person or animal suspected of or infected with a disease, to an agency approved by the Department for prevention or treatment, or to any person when necessary for the protection of public health and safety. A person, institution or agency to whom such information is furnished or to whom access to records has been given shall not divulge any part thereof so as to disclose the identity of the person or institution to whom such information or record relates, except insofar as such disclosure is necessary for the treatment of persons or animals or for the protection of human and animal health. (Amended City Record 12/29/2023, eff. 1/28/2024; amended City Record 3/31/2025, eff. 4/30/2025)
