For the purpose of this chapter, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning. Any term not defined in this chapter shall have the meaning as defined in any other chapter of the County Code. Any term not defined in the County Code shall have its generally accepted meaning.
ANIMAL. Any live, vertebrate creature, domestic or wild.
ANIMAL CARE AND CONTROL AUTHORITY. The organization, agency, or corporation designated by the County Commissioners to supervise the provisions of this chapter and to operate the county’s animal shelter.
ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICER. Any person specifically designated by the County Commissioners to enforce the provisions of this chapter.
ANIMAL EXHIBITION. Any spectacle, display, act, or event other than circuses, in which animals are used.
ANIMAL SHELTER. Any facility operated by a humane organization, tax exempt organization, or municipal agency, or its authorized agents for the purpose of impounding or caring for animals.
AT LARGE. Not under control or unrestrained while not on its owner’s property.
AUCTIONS. Any place or facility where animals are regularly bought, sold, or traded, except for those facilities otherwise defined in this chapter. This chapter does not apply to individual sales of animals by owners.
CATTERY. Any premises on which, for remuneration, any person engages in the business of boarding cats or, for the purpose of selling them, breeding more than two litters of cats per year.
CIRCUS. A commercial variety show featuring animal acts for public entertainment.
COMMERCIAL ANIMAL ESTABLISHMENT. Any pet shop, grooming shop, zoological park, circus, animal exhibition, cattery, or kennel.
DOMESTIC ANIMAL. Animals which, through extremely long association with humans, have been bred to a degree which has resulted in genetic changes affecting the temperament, color, conformation, or other attributes of the species to an extent that makes them unique and distinguishable from wild individuals of their species. DOMESTIC ANIMALS include but are not limited to farm animals and pets such as dogs, cats, rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, and other small rodents, European ferrets and hedgehogs, nonpoisonous reptiles, and amphibians, parakeets, cockatiels, and other commercially raised birds.
EFFECTIVE TEMPERATURE. The temperature as affected by meteorological conditions such as wind chill or rain.
ENFORCEMENT AGENCY. Animal Care and Control Authority or any police or law enforcement agency.
EXOTIC ANIMAL. Any animal of a species not occurring naturally, either presently or historically, within the boundaries of this state and shall include any hybrid or crossbred animal which is part exotic or wild animal.
FERAL CAT. A domestic cat that does not appear by its behavior or appearance and possibly location found to have been domesticated. A domestic cat that is not tame and behaves as if it were wild.
HARBOR. The act of feeding or sheltering an animal for three or more consecutive days, or parts of days.
HEALTH DEPARTMENT. The local Board of Health or the local Health Officer, or both, and their agents, representatives, and assigns.
KENNEL, COMMERCIAL. Any premises on which any person engages in the business of boarding, breeding more than two litters per year, buying, letting for hire, training for a fee, or selling dogs.
KENNEL, DOG FANCIER’S. Any premises on which any person harbors or keeps with approval from the Zoning Administrator or BZA, more than three adult dogs and, for the purpose of selling them, does not breed more than two litters per year.
MOLEST. To interfere with freedom of movement.
OWNER. Any adult person, partnership, or corporation owning, keeping, harboring, or having custody (either temporarily or permanently) of one or more animals.
PET. Any domesticated animal kept for pleasure rather than utility.
PET SHOP. Any person, partnership, or corporation, whether operated separately or in connection with another business enterprise, except for a licensed kennel or cattery, that buys, sells, or boards any species of animal excluding temporary sales of small animal such as chicks and rabbits for domestic purposes.
PUBLIC NUISANCE. Any animal or animals which:
(1) Continues to molest passers-by or passing vehicles;
(2) Continues to attack human beings or domestic animals;
(3) Has severely injured or killed a human being or repeatedly severely injured a domestic animal;
(4) Is repeatedly at large, or is a stray;
(5) Continues to damage private or public property;
(6) Continues to disturb the neighbor(s) or the community; or
(7) Is found to be in violation of vicious animal restraint requirements.
PURSUE. To follow in order to capture, contain, or if necessary, destroy.
QUARANTINE. Strict confinement by leash, paddock, or closed cage in a manner to prevent contact with humans and other animals for at least ten days, or as ordered by the Health Department.
RESPONSIBLE PERSON. A person age 16 or older who could reasonably be expected to be capable of effectively controlling the animal in question.
RESTRAINT. Any animal secured and under effective control by a leash or lead, or under the effective control of a responsible person and obedient to that person’s commands if off lead, or within the real property limits of its owner.
STRAY. A domesticated animal which does not have a collar, identification tag, license, microchip, or is not claimed by its owner.
TEMPORARY SALES. Sales for a period not to exceed 90 days per year.
VETERINARY HOSPITAL. Any establishment, maintained and operated by a licensed veterinarian for surgery, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases and injuries of animals.
VICIOUS ANIMAL. Any animal that constitutes by its actions a physical threat to human beings, other domestic animals, or both.
WILD ANIMAL.
(1) An animal which is not defined as a domestic animal and is incapable of being completely domesticated or tamed;
(2) An animal which in its natural state is wild, dangerous, or ferocious and though it may be trained and habituated by the owner will remain dangerous to the public at large; or
(3) Any hybrid or crossbred animal, which is part exotic or wild.
WOLF HYBRID. Any animal that is advertised, registered, licensed, or otherwise described or represented as a WOLF HYBRID by its owner or any animal exhibiting primary physical and behavioral wolf characteristics.
ZOOLOGICAL PARK. Any property displaying, harboring, or exhibiting one or more species of wild or exotic animals owned by a person, partnership, corporation, or governmental agency. (Does not include farm/agricultural animals.)
(2004 Code, § 81-1) (Ord. 26, passed 1-21-1980; Ord. 26B, passed 10-30-1984; Ord. 26C, passed 7-29-1986; Ord. 26D, passed 8-28-1990; Ord. 02-23, passed 11-26-2002; Ord. 06-15, passed 11-28-2006; Ord. 2015-04, passed 7-2-2015)