For the purpose of this chapter, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.
ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICER. Any person designated to enforce this chapter.
ANIMAL OWNER. Any person or legal entity that has possessory property or custodial right in an animal.
ANIMAL. Any domesticated animal.
AT LARGE. An animal that is off the owner’s real property and not under control.
BIRD SANCTUARY. An area designated for the preservation of birds.
BITE. Any puncturing, tearing or scratching of the skin caused by an animal’s teeth.
CONTROL. An animal within the real property limits of its owner or under the control of its owner.
DANGEROUS DOG. A dog who:
(1) Without provocation has killed or inflicted severe injury on a person;
(2) Determined by the County Dangerous Dog Committee to be potentially dangerous because the dog has engaged in one or more of the behaviors listed under the definition of potentially dangerous dog; or
(3) Is owned or harbored primarily or in part for the purpose of dog fighting, or any dog trained for dog fighting.
DOMESTIC ANIMAL. Any animal that is owned, kept or controlled by a person.
HUMANE TREATMENT. Care of an animal to include, but not limited to adequate heat, ventilation, sanitary shelter, wholesome food/water, consistent with the normal requirements and feeding habits of the animal’s size, species and breed.
NOISY ANIMAL. An animal that by frequent or continued noise disturbs the comfort and repose of any person in the vicinity.
NUISANCE. An animal that annoys humans and other animals and interferes with their rights to enjoyment of life and property. The term NUISANCE includes, but is not limited to: damages, soils or defecates on property other than the owner’s, public property, and street right-of-ways; molest or intimidates pedestrians; chases vehicles or bicycles or fits the definition of a noisy animal.
NUMBERS/DENSITIES OF ANIMALS. No person shall keep more than four animals outside their residence on lots or premises less than one acre.
OWNER’S REAL PROPERTY. Any real property owned or leased by the owner of the animal, but not including any public right-of-ways or common area of any multi-family dwellings.
PENALTY. Any actions taken in the enforcement of this chapter.
POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS DOG. A dog that the County Dangerous Dog Committee has determined to have:
(1) Inflicted a bite on a person that resulted in broken bones or disfiguring lacerations or required cosmetic surgery or hospitalization;
(2) Killed or inflicted severe injury upon a domestic animal when not on the owner’s real property; or
(3) Approached a person when not on the owner’s property in a vicious or terrorizing manner in an apparent attitude of attack.
SERIOUS BODILY INJURY. An injury characterized by severe bite wounds or severe ripping and tearing of muscle or tissue that would cause a reasonably prudent person to seek treatment from a medical professional and would require hospitalization without regard to whether the person actually sought medical treatment.
STRAY ANIMAL. Any animal that is roaming and not under control and whose ownership is not readily ascertainable. Absence of a current rabies tag and/or tag or chip identifying the owner of any animal is evidence of its status as a stray.
VACCINATED. An animal which has been currently and properly injected with a rabies vaccine, licensed for use in that species.
VICIOUS ANIMAL. Any animal declared vicious by the Public Health Director when the animal has attacked a person causing bodily harm without being teased, molested, provoked, beaten, tortured or otherwise harmed.
WILD ANIMAL. All species of animals that naturally exist in an unconfined state and are not usually domesticated.
(Am. Ord. passed 2024)