The following terms are defined for use in the Animal Control Code, unless the context indicates otherwise:
1. "Abatement" means the termination of any violation by reasonable and lawful means determined by the animal control officer in order that a person presumed to be the owner or custodian shall comply with these Animal Control chapters.
2. "Animal" means any nonhuman mammal, bird, reptile, or amphibian.
3. "Animal control" means that department empowered by the City to provide animal control services.
4. "Animal shelter" means a State-licensed facility which is used to house or contain stray, homeless, abandoned, or unwanted animals, and which is owned, operated, or maintained by a public body, an established humane society, animal welfare society, society for the prevention of cruelty to animals, or other nonprofit organization devoted to the welfare, protection, and humane treatment of animals.
5. "At large" means physically off the premises of an owner, handler, or custodian and not secured by a leash under ten feet in length which is under the control of the owner, handler, or custodian. "At large" does not refer to dogs exhibited in dog shows, field trials, obedience training or trials; or to a dog or cat which is otherwise safely and securely confined or completely controlled within or upon any vehicle or under control in a designated off-leash area; or to Police dogs used by law enforcement agencies.
6. "Cat" means a domesticated Felis Catus and includes both male and female cats.
7. "Chief Humane Officer" means the North Liberty City employee designated by the North Liberty City Administrator to exercise the authority of the Chief Humane Officer under this chapter, and such employee's designee.
8. "City Administrator" means the North Liberty City Administrator or a designee of the City Administrator.
9. "Community cat" means a cat that meets the requirements of Section 55.29(1).
10. "Defile" means to foul, dirty, pollute, or make filthy, either by a pet animal's body wastes or by an animal's carrying or dragging any foul material.
11. "Dog" means a domesticated Canis Familiaris, and includes both male and female dogs.
12. "Euthanasia" means the humane destruction of an animal accomplished by a method that involves instantaneous unconsciousness and immediate death, or by a method that causes painless loss of consciousness and death during such loss of consciousness.
13. "Kennel" means a place maintained for the business of boarding, raising, rearing, training, or sale of dogs and cats.
14. "Leash" means a rope, line, thong, chain, or other similar restraint not more than ten feet in length and which is of sufficient strength to hold an animal in check.
15. "Molest" includes not only biting and scratching, but also any annoyance, interference with, or meddling with any person so as to trouble or harm such person.
16. "Off-leash area" means a designated area in which an owner, handler, or custodian may allow or permit a dog to run at large, subject to certain rules and regulations.
17. "Owner or custodian" means any person possessing, harboring, keeping, having an interest in, or having control or custody of an animal, regardless of whether the animal is licensed pursuant to Chapter 56 of this Code of Ordinances.
18. "Pet" means a living dog, cat or an animal normally maintained in a small tank or cage in or near a residence, including but not limited to a rabbit, gerbil, hamster, mouse, parrot, canary, mynah, finch, tropical fish, goldfish, snake, turtle, gecko or iguana.
19. "Police Chief" means the North Liberty Police Chief or a designee of the Police Chief
20. "Police dog" means any dog trained to assist police, while said dog is under the control or direction of a certified police officer during the performance of said officer's official duties. "Control or direction" does not require that the dog be on a leash or a lead.
21. "Premises" means the area of land surrounding a house or dwelling unit and actually or by legal construction forming an enclosure with it and to which the owner or custodian of a dog has legal and equitable right therein. "Premises" does not extend into areas of common ownership or use in the case of easements, trailer parks, apartment complexes, private communities, etc.
22. "Private property" means all buildings and other property owned by a private person. It includes buildings, yards, and service and parking areas
23. "Proof of vaccination" means a health or rabies certificate issued by a licensed veterinarian.
24. "Public property" means buildings and other property owned or dedicated to the use of the City, State, County, or United States government, wherein the authorized representative has granted the City jurisdiction thereof, or any governmental subdivision of the City, State, County or U.S. government or any governmental organization established by the City, State, County or U. S. government. Such property includes but is not limited to buildings, grounds, yards, street rights-of-way, walks, bicycle paths, easements, parks, service areas, open areas, athletic and recreational areas, riverbanks, parking areas and ramps, boulevards, and any other real estate owned by a governmental unit.
25. "Trip fee" means the response fee an owner or custodian of an animal may be charged by the City when an animal is impounded.
26. "Veterinarian" means a person duly licensed by the State to practice veterinary medicine.
27. "Veterinary hospital" means an establishment regularly maintained and operated by a veterinarian for the diagnosis and treatment of diseases and injuries to animals and which may board animals.
(Ord. 2019-15 - Aug. 19 Supp.)