For the purpose of this chapter, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.
ABANDON. Fail to adequately provide an animal with one or more of the necessities of life, including but not limited to, air, food, potable water, sanitary conditions, shelter, protection from the heat, cold, or other environmental conditions, or under other circumstances that may cause bodily injury, serious bodily injury, or death of the animal, for 24 or more hours, or to leave an animal in the care, custody, or control of another person without his or her consent.
ANIMAL. Any vertebrae creature, excluding human beings.
ANIMAL CONTROL AUTHORITY. The Mount Pleasant Chief of Police or his or her authorized designee(s).
ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICER. Any person designated by the City Manager to represent and act for the city in the capture, care, and confinement of animals.
ANIMAL SHELTER. Any facility designated by the City Manager to temporarily contain, house and care for domestic animals held under authority of this chapter.
AT-LARGE. An animal not confined within a building, wall, or fence of sufficient strength and construction to restrain the animal except when the animal is on a leash, cord, rope, or chain of sufficient length and strength to control the actions of the animal. An animal held within the arms of the owner or harbored or contained within the cabin of a vehicle of its owner or harbored shall not be deemed AT-LARGE.
CAT. Any member of the animal species Felis Catus.
DOG. Any member of the animal species Canis Familiars.
DOMESTIC ANIMAL. Cat, dog, ferret.
FOWL. A female chicken that lays eggs. "Chicken" or “hen” may also be used. FOWL does not include turkeys, roosters, ducks, peacocks, geese, or other fowl species that are prohibited.
HARBORER/HARBORING. The person or act of keeping and caring for an animal for 72 consecutive hours or of providing a premises to which the animal returns regularly (more than three occasions).
LIVESTOCK. Any cow, horse, mule, jack, jennet, goat, sheep, swine or any other form of LIVESTOCK.
MICROCHIP. A passive electronic device that is injected into an animal by means of a hypodermic-type syringe device. Each microchip shall contain a unique and original number that is read by an electronic scanning device for purposes of animal identification and recovery by the animal's owners.
OWNER/HARBORER. Any person, firm or corporation having right of property to any animal, or who harbors, or who causes or permits to be harbored any animal on or about their property.
RESCUE ORGANIZATION. A group that has filed a certificate of formation with the Texas Secretary of State; that is deemed tax exempt by the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts and Federal Internal Revenue Service; and that provides such documented proof for review and holding.
RESCUE ORGANIZATION MEMBER. An authorized member representing a rescue organization.
QUARANTINE FACILITY. Facility approved by the Texas Department of Health for the strict confinement of an animal for rabies observation.
VACCINATED. Injection of a rabies vaccine approved by the United States Department of Agriculture and administered in accordance with Tex. Administrative Code §§ 169.21 et seq. by a licensed veterinarian.
(Ord. 2002-1, passed 2-19-02; Am. Ord. 2008-3, passed 2-5-08; Am. Ord. 2017-1, passed 1-17-17; Am. Ord. 2017-21, passed 12-19-17; Am. Ord. 2022-22, passed 10-18-22; Am. Ord. 2024-5, passed 2-20-24)