For the purpose of this chapter, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.
ANIMALS. Shall include all animals both permitted and prohibited, but not be limited to pigs, cats, dogs, sheep, goats, chickens, ducks, rabbits, ponies, horses, and any other animals.
ANIMAL RESCUE ORGANIZATION. Shall mean where more than two dogs and/or four cats over four months of age are regularly harbored for longer than two weeks, primarily for the purpose of fostering animals until adoption.
AT LARGE. Any animal shall be deemed at large when it is off the property of its owner and not under the control of a competent person.
BIRDS. Includes domestic birds, including pigeons.
COMMUNITY CAT. Shall mean any free-roaming, feral, or barn cat that may be cared for by one or more residents of the immediate area and which has no discernable form of ownership identification.
COMMUNITY CAT CAREGIVER. Shall mean a person who may provide care, including food, water, shelter, or medical care to a community cat while not being considered the legal owner, harborer, controller, or keeper of a community cat.
COMMUNITY CAT COLONY. Shall mean a group of cats that congregates together as a unit.
EAR TIPPING. Shall mean the removal of the ¼ inch tip of community cat’s left ear, performed while the cat is under anesthesia by a licensed veterinarian and designed to be an indication that the community cat has been sterilized and vaccinated for rabies.
EXPOSURE TO RABIES. An animal has been exposed to rabies within the meaning of this chapter if it has been bitten by, or been in contact with any animal known to have been in contact with any animal known to have been exposed to rabies.
FERAL CAT. Shall mean a cat that: (i) is born in the wild or is the offspring of an owned or feral cat and is not socialized; or (ii) is a formerly owned cat that has been abandoned and is no longer socialized.
FOOD and FOOD STUFFS. Is intended to include human food, grain and other feed for animals or fowl.
KENNEL. Any establishment wherein four or more dogs or other warm-blooded animals are confined or kept for adoption, boarding, breeding, or training purposes, for remuneration.
OWNER. Any person, group of persons, association, partner, or corporation owning, keeping or harboring a dog or other animal.
PERSON. Any individual, employee, corporation, co-partnership or association.
POLICE OFFICER. A police officer of the City of Hamtramck.
POULTRY. Includes all domestic fowl.
RESTRAINT. An animal is under restraint within the meaning of this chapter if it is controlled by a leash, on or within a vehicle being driven or parked on the street, or confined within the property limits of its owner or keeper.
TRAP, NEUTER, VACCINATE, AND RETURN PROGRAM (TNVR). A program in which community cats are humanely trapped, evaluated, vaccinated, sterilized, and ear tipped by a veterinarian and returned to the trap location with the intent of controlling or reducing feline population and reproduction.
VERMIN. Noxious, objectionable, or disgusting animals collectively especially those of small size that appear commonly and are difficult to control, as flies, lice, bedbugs, cockroaches, mice, raccoons, and rats.
VERMIN-PROOF or VERMIN-PROOFING. Applies to a form of construction which will prevent the ingress or egress of vermin to or from a given space or building or gaining access to food, water, or harborage. It consists of the closing and keeping closed by the use of material impervious to vermin gnawing of every opening in foundations, basements, cellars, exterior and interior walls, ground or first floors, sidewalk gratings, sidewalk openings and other places that may be reached by vermin climbing, burrowing, or other methods.
VERMIN CONTROL. Shall mean the distribution of vermin poison and/or the setting of vermin traps and/or fumigation and/or such other methods of vermin eradication.
VERMIN-HARBORAGE. Shall mean any condition under which vermin may find shelter or protection.
(Ord. 412, passed 5-8-1984; Am. Ord., passed 11-22-2022)