For the purpose of this chapter, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning. All other words or phrases used herein shall be defined and interpreted according to their common usage. City powers to regulate animals provided in 11 O.S. §22-115.
ABANDON.
a. Cease providing for the daily care, welfare or maintenance of an animal without the transfer of ownership of such animal;
b. Fail to retrieve, claim or relinquish ownership to the city, an animal impounded at the animal shelter for any violation of the city code after notice is given to the owner of such animal, if known; or
c. Allowing an animal to reside at a property or dwelling not used as a primary dwelling, or without water or electric service, or other utilities in service.
ALTERED. Any cat or dog over the age of six months which has been neutered or spayed.
ANIMAL. Any warm blooded animal.
ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICER. The individual employed, contracted with, or appointed by the city for the purposes of aiding the enforcement of this chapter or any other law relating to the licenser of animals, control of animals, or seizure and impoundment of animals, and includes any state or local law enforcement officer or other employee whose duties, in whole or in part, include assignments that involve seizure and impoundment of any animal.
ANIMAL SHELTER or MUNICIPAL POUND. Any premises formally designated by the City Council for the purposes of impounding and caring for animals held under the authority of this chapter, regardless of whether or not said premises are within or out of the municipality’s corporate boundaries, and regardless of whether or not said premises are under actual municipal ownership or provided under a contractual arrangement between the city and private owner(s).
AT LARGE or RUNNING AT LARGE. Any animal which is off the property of its owner or the leased premises of the dog’s owner and not under the control of a competent person. As applied to dogs AT LARGE or RUNNING AT LARGE means a dog which is off the owner’s property or leased premises and such dog is not restrained by means of a leash under the control of a competent person. A dog entering upon the property of another person without that person’s permission shall be termed RUNNING AT LARGE. Any animal within an automobile or other vehicle of its owner or owner’s agent shall not be deemed AT LARGE or RUNNING AT LARGE.
CAT. Any Felis catus, excluding any large cats (lions, tigers and the like) and hybrids.
CONFINEMENT. To secure an animal in a house or by a fence within the boundaries of the owner’s, leaseholder’s or keeper’s property (such as, house, fenced yard).
CRUELTY. To endanger the life, health or safety of an animal.
CURRENTLY VACCINATED. Properly immunized by or under the supervision of a licensed veterinarian with an anti-rabies vaccine licensed and approved by the United State Department of Agriculture for use in that animal species, or meeting conditions specified in the State Department of Health Zoo Notice Disease Control Rules, O.A.C. Title 310, Chapter 599 § 310:599-3-8. Vaccine must have been given at appropriate time intervals(s) for the age of the animal and type of vaccine administered.
DANGEROUS DOG. Any dog that has inflicted injury on a human being without provocation on public or private property, or has been previously found to be potentially dangerous, the owner having received notice of such by the Animal Control Officer, in writing, and the dog thereafter aggressively bites, attacks or endangers the safety of humans.
DOG. Any Canis familiaris, excluding hybrids.
DOMESTIC BIRDS. Canaries, parrots, parakeets, mean birds, peacocks, birds of paradise or other birds tamed to the household or pertaining thereto.
EXPOSED TO RABIES. Any animal that has been bitten by or exposed to any other animal known to have been infected with rabies.
FIRST PARTY OWNERSHIP. A situation where the owner of a biting animal is directly related to the bite victim, that is parent-child, sibling-sibling, grandparent-child; or when the legal residence of the animal owner and the bite victim are the same.
FOWL. All animals that are included in the zoological class aves, which shall include, but not limited to, chickens, guineas, geese, ducks, turkeys and pigeons.
HARBORING. Allowing any animal to habitually remain, or be fed, on premises under his or her control.
IMMEDIATE CONTROL. The regulation and supervision by a competent person so that an animal is unable to run or get loose at will.
IMPOUNDMENT. Placing an animal in the animal control vehicle or unit or holding an animal in custody at the animal control shelter.
KEEPER. Any person acting in the capacity of the owner, at the owner’s request, who is responsible for the care, welfare and maintenance of the animal.
KENNEL. Any place where any combination of eight or more dogs or cats more than six months of age are sheltered, fed and watered.
LARGE ANIMALS. Horses, mules, donkeys cattle, goats, sheep or any other animal of similar size or stature.
LIVESTOCK. All animals, other than dogs, cats, small caged birds or small aquatic or amphibian animals.
NEUTER. To render a male dog or cat unable to reproduce.
NUISANCE. The conduct or behavior of any small or large animal, cat or dog which molest passersby or passing vehicles; attacks other animals, damages private or public property; barks, whines, howls, crows or makes other noises in an excessive continuous fashion which annoys the comfort, repose, health or safety of the people in the community; unconfined in season; or a vicious animal not confined as required by this chapter.
OWNER. Any person, firm, corporation, organization or department possessing, harboring, keeping, having an interest in or having control or custody of an animal. The occupant of any premises on which a domesticated animal remains, or to which it customarily returns, for a period of ten days or more, shall be deemed to be harboring or keeping the animal and thereby considered to be the OWNER of said animal.
PERMIT. The permit issued by the animal control division.
PET. Any animal kept for pleasure.
PROVOKE or PROVOCATION. With respect to an attack by an animal, that the animal was hit, kicked or struck by a person with an object or part of a person’s body or that any part of the animal’s body is pulled, pinched or squeezed by a person.
RABIES. Acute disease of humans and warm-blooded mammals caused by the rabies virus (genus Lyssavirus) that affects the central nervous system and is almost always fatal.
RAT-PROOF. The state of being constructed so as to effectively prevent entry of rats.
RELEASING AGENCY. Any pound (municipal or otherwise), shelter or humane society organization, whether public or private.
RESTRAINT. That an animal is controlled by leash or tether, either of which shall not exceed six feet in length, by a competent person or within any vehicle, trailer or other conveyance being driven, pulled or parked on the street, or confined within the property limits of its owner or keeper.
RUN. An area used to confine an animal that is no less than 100 square feet and is a least five feet in width.
SANITARY. Any condition of good odor and cleanliness, which precludes the probability of disease transmission and insect breeding, and which preserves the health of the city.
SEVERE INJURY. Any physical injury that reasonably results in hospitalization or medical treatment.
SMALL ANIMALS. Rabbits hares, chinchillas, turkeys, fowl, pigeons, (except homing pigeons) miniature pigs, as further defined herein, for household pets, or any other animal or similar size or stature; for the purpose of this definition, miniature pig has a maximum weight of 125 pounds and maximum height of 22 inches as established by the American Miniature Pig Association (AMPA).
SPAY. To remove the ovaries of a female dog or cat in order to render the animal unable to reproduce.
SPECIAL HANDLER’S LICENSE. A license issued to a person who has four or more but less than eight dogs or cats or a combination thereof where such dogs or cats or combination thereof are sheltered, fed and watered in or on the premises, property or residence of the person who has such a license.
STERILIZATION. To spay or neuter a dog or cat.
TRANSFER. To convey or change ownership from one person to another with or without the exchange of money or other consideration.
UNALTERED. Any cat or dog over the age of six months which has not been neutered or spayed.
VACCINATION. An injection of the United State Department of Agriculture approved rabies vaccine administered every 12 calendar months by a licensed veterinarian.
VICIOUS DOG OR ANIMAL. Any dog or animal which has bitten or attempted to bite and person without undue provocation, or which attacks, barks, growls at and acts as if it intended to attack or bite, any person or persons when not unduly provoked.
WILD ANIMAL. Any animal which can normally be found living in a naturally wild state and is not ordinarily tamed or domesticated the term shall include such animals (herein above described) which may be owned by a circus or wild animal show or exhibition.