For the purpose of this subchapter, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.
ANIMAL. Any living vertebrate, whether domestic or wild, excluding humans.
ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICER. A City employee designated as animal control officer, animal control official, or other designations that may be used, whose responsibility includes animal control.
AT LARGE. Beyond the boundaries of the owner’s premises and not under physical restraint appropriate and reasonable to the size and temperament of the animal, such as physical restraint by leash, cage, enclosure, harness, bridle, lead, cord, or chain or by physically carrying the animal. Service dogs trained to provide assistance to handicapped persons for sight, hearing, mobility, or other similar purposes shall not be considered at large when the service dog is obedient to the handicapped person’s or trainer’s commands and in sufficient physical proximity to the person in order to respond to the commands. Except as provided above with respect to service dogs, mere proximity to the person in charge of the animal or obedience to that person’s commands shall not be considered sufficient physical restraint for purposes of this definition.
BARNYARD ANIMALS. Sheep, goats, cattle, poultry, swine, mules, donkeys, and any other animal
typically raised for food or kept for work purposes on a farm, except that the phrase shall not include horses.
CAT. Shall refer to both male and female cats but shall exclude any member of the cat family which would otherwise qualify as a WILD ANIMAL as defined below.
CONFINED. Being securely confined indoors or confined in a securely enclosed and locked pen or structure upon the premises of the owner. All the pens or structures must have secure sides and a secure top attached to the sides. If the pen or structure has no bottom secured to the sides, the sides must be embedded into the ground no less than two feet. All the pens or structures must be locked with a key or combination lock when any vicious animal is inside and shall be adequately lighted and kept in a clean and sanitary condition.
DANGEROUS ANIMAL. Shall refer to the following:
(1) One which, when unprovoked, engages in any behavior that requires a defensive action by any person to prevent bodily injury when the person and the animal are off the property of the owner or keeper; or
(2) One which, when unprovoked, bites a person causing injury less severe than that defined as a severe injury; or
(3) One which has been trained in attack methods; or
(4) Any animal which when off the property of its owner or keeper has killed, inflicted serious injury (resulted in tearing of skin requiring sutures, or consisted of multiple bites) or has on two separate occasions caused minor injury (resulted in bruising or single puncture of skin not requiring sutures) by attacking a domestic animal when unprovoked.
DOG. Shall refer to both male and female dogs.
FERRET. Shall refer to both male and female ferrets.
HORSE. Shall refer to both male and female horses.
MICROCHIPPED. Shall refer to an animal being permanently implanted with a radio-frequency identification chip containing information identifying the animal’s owner.
OWNER. Any person who owns, keeps, harbors, maintains, cares for, or otherwise possesses an animal; the head of the household shall be deemed to be the owner of any animal on the premises which is owned, kept, harbored, maintained, cared for, or otherwise possessed by any person residing in the household.
PUBLIC NUISANCE ANIMAL. Any animal which:
(1) Is found at large on two or more occasions in any consecutive thirty-day (30) period;
(2) Damages the real property of anyone other than its owner or the personal property of anyone other than its owner located off its owners’ premises;
(3) Causes fouling of the air by odors;
(4) Causes unsanitary condition of enclosures or surroundings;
(5) Excessively makes disturbing noises, or habitually or repeatedly barks or makes noise to such an extent as to be a nuisance or menace to the public;
(6) Is at large without the inoculations or vaccinations or licenses required in this subchapter; or
(7) Is diseased and contagious or infectious to the public health.
SEVERE INJURY. Means any physical injury to a human being that results in muscle tears, multiple sutures, corrective surgery, cosmetic surgery, broken bones, or hospitalization; either individually or in any combination thereof.
VICIOUS ANIMAL. Any animal which, when unprovoked, inflicts severe injury on a human being.
WILD ANIMAL. Any animal, whether carnivorous or omnivorous, normally found in a wild state, which generally does not live, adapt, or is fit to live in intimate association with or about the habitation of humans; the characteristics and traits of the entire species as a whole rather than the characteristics and traits of any particular member of that species to be used in any such determination.
(1989 Code, § 3-1) (Ord. passed 5-9-1988; Ord. passed 6-10-1996; Ord. 98-19, passed 11-9-1998; Ord. 00-03, passed 1-10-2000; Ord. 00-04, passed 1-10-2000; Ord. 11-O-07, passed 6-27-2011; Ord. 15-O-01, passed 6-8-2015; Ord. 18-O-03, passed --2018)