For the purpose of this chapter, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.
AGENT. Any Individual 18 years of age or older who is authorized by an animal’s owner to have temporary or permanent custody of, shelter, have charge of, harbor, exercise control over, or otherwise act on such owner’s behalf with respect to such animal.
ANIMAL. Any live, vertebrate creature, domestic or wild.
ANIMAL CONTROL AGENCY. Animal Welfare League of Montgomery County, Inc., or any other governmental or private entity charged or contracted with for the implementation of animal control services for and on behalf of Montgomery County.
ANIMAL CONTROL AGENT. A civilian individual employed or appointed by an animal control agency for the purposes of carrying out the provisions of this chapter or any contract for animal control services.
ANIMAL CONTROL FACILITY. A facility, shelter or vehicle operated by an animal control agency for promoting animal welfare and humane treatment of animals.
AT LARGE. An animal that is:
(1) Not on a leash and is off the property of its owner or the owner’s agent;
(2) On a leash that does not adequately confine the animal to the property of the owner or the owner’s agent;
(3) On a leash that is not otherwise under the immediate control of an Individual physically capable of restraining the animal; or
(4) Otherwise not under the direct control of the owner or owner’s agent.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, an animal that is engaged in legal hunting or farming activities and is under the control and supervision of the owner or the owner’s agent is not considered to be
AT LARGE under this chapter.
BOARD OF WORKS. The Crawfordsville Board of Public Works and Safety.
COYDOG. Shall have the meaning prescribed by I.C. 15-20-1-5(a)(1), as amended or recodified from time to time.
DANGEROUS ANIMAL. Includes any of the following:
(1) Any animal which, when unprovoked, on two separate occasions within the prior 36 month period, engages in any behavior that requires a defensive action by any individual to prevent serious bodily injury when the individual and the animal are off the property of the owner or agent;
(2) Any animal which, when unprovoked, attacks or bites an Individual causing serious bodily injury;
(3) Any animal which within the prior 36 month period, when unprovoked and off the property of the owner or agent, has bitten or otherwise caused severe injury to domestic livestock or a domestic pet without provocation;
(4) Any animal which, when unprovoked and off the property of the owner or keeper of the animal has caused the death of domestic livestock or a domestic pet, or severe injury to multiple domestic livestock or domestic pets, without provocation; or
(5) Any wolf hybrid or coydog.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the term
DANGEROUS ANIMAL excludes any K-9 dog or police dog that is owned, used or maintained by a law enforcement agency.
DOMESTIC LIVESTOCK. Any animal, other than a domestic pet, that is kept for agricultural or commercial purposes, or in connection with a 4-H or FFA activity, and is one of the following: alpaca,
bison, elk, cattle, donkey, goat, horse, llama, mule, ostrich, emu, swine, poultry (chicken, turkey, duck or goose), rabbit or sheep.
DOMESTIC PET. Any animal that is commonly kept for pleasure rather than for commercial purposes, including without limitation the following species:
(1) Dogs (canis lupus familiaris);
(2) Domestic cats (felis catus);
(3) Guinea pigs (cavia porcellus);
(4) Hamsters (any species of the genus mesocricetus);
(5) Gerbils (any species of the genus gerbillus); and
(6) Ferrets (mustela putorius furo).
INDIVIDUAL. A human being.
KENNEL. Any premises wherein any person engages in the business of boarding, breeding, buying, letting for hire, training for a fee, or selling cats and dogs.
LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER. A county sheriff; a state, county or city police officer; a town marshal; a prosecuting attorney; a conservation officer; or a deputy of any of such persons.
MICROCHIP. A computer chip implanted underneath the skin of an animal that contains identification information relating to that animal.
NON-DANGEROUS ANIMAL. Any animal which is not a dangerous animal.
OWNER. Any person owning, keeping or harboring one or more animals.
PERSON. Any individual, firm, association, partnership, limited liability company, corporation, trust or estate.
PUBLIC NUISANCE. Any animal or animals which:
(1) Is an at-large animal;
(2) Attacks other animals;
(3) Molests passersby or passing vehicles;
(4) Barks, whines or howls in an excessive, continuous or untimely fashion;
(5) Damages private or public property;
(6) Runs at large while in heat; or
(7) Trespasses on school grounds.
RESTRAINT. Any animal secured by a leash or lead or under the control of a responsible person and obedient to that person’s commands, or within the real property limits of its owner.
SERIOUS BODILY INJURY. An injury to an individual that:
(1) Results in death of the Individual;
(2) Creates a substantial risk of the individual’s death; or
(3) Causes serious permanent disfigurement, unconsciousness, extreme pain, permanent or protracted loss or impairment of the function of a bodily member or organ, or loss of a human fetus.
SEVERE INJURY. Any physical injury to a domestic pet or domestic livestock that results in multiple bites, broken bones, muscle tears or disfiguring lacerations, or requires multiple sutures or corrective or cosmetic surgery.
STRAY. Any animal that does not appear, upon reasonable inquiry, to have an owner.
WILD ANIMAL. Any live monkey (nonhuman primate), raccoon, skunk, fox, poisonous snake, leopard, panther, tiger, lion, lynx or any other warm-blooded animal which can normally be found in the wild state.
WOLF HYBRID. Shall have the meaning prescribed by I.C. 15-20-1-5(a)(3), as amended or recodified from time to time.
(Ord. 18-2011, passed 8-22-11)