A person who owns or has possession of an animal which is suspected of having rabies shall immediately notify the local health director or county Animal Control Officer and shall securely confine the animal in a place designated by the local health director. The animal shall be confined for a period of 10 days. Other animals may be destroyed at the discretion of the State Public Health Veterinarian. (1935, c. 122, s. 15; c. 344; 1941, c. 259, s. 10; 1953, c. 876, s. 11; 1983, c. 891, s. 2; 2009-327, s. 13.)