The following terms as used in this chapter shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section as follows:
ANIMAL: Any living vertebrate member of the animal kingdom, excluding man.
ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICER: Any person designated by the state of California, city of Reedley, or Fresno County as an animal control officer who is authorized to perform such duties under the laws of this state or this chapter.
ANIMAL SHELTER: Any facility that is on property owned by the city of Reedley, operated by a humane society, or a public agency, or its authorized agents for the purpose of impounding or caring for animals held under the authority of this chapter or state law.
AT LARGE: Off the premises of the person owning or having the possession, charge, custody, or control of the animal and not under the immediate control of a person by means of an enclosure, leash, rope, chain or other means of immediate effective physical control. "At large" shall also mean when the animal is on the premises of the person owning or having possession, charge or custody of the animal and not under the immediate effective physical control of said person sufficient to prevent ingress and egress of the animal.
BIRD: Any member of the bird family, including, but not limited to, parakeets, cockatiels, macaws, parrots, finches, conures and swans, domesticated to serve as a pet.
BREEDER: Any person, persons or business who breeds two (2) or more litters of dogs in one year for sale or profit.
CAT: Any member of the feline family, wild or domesticated, and shall be intended to mean both male and female.
COMMERCIAL ANIMAL ESTABLISHMENT: Any pet shop, grooming shop, auction, riding school or stable, zoological park, circus, performing animal exhibit, or boarding kennel.
DOG: Any member of the canine family, wild or domesticated, and shall be intended to mean both male and female.
DOMESTIC ANIMALS: Animals that are ordinarily permitted in a place of residence and habituated to live on or about the habitations of persons, and kept for company and pleasure.
EXCESSIVE NOISE: Barking, howling, whining, screaming, screeching, squeaking, squawking, or any noise which is loud, frequent, and continual over a period of time and which disturbs the peace and comfort of a person of ordinary sensitivity. The following shall be presumed to disturb the peace and comfort of a person of ordinary sensitivity: a) excessive noise for a continuous period of ten (10) minutes; or b) excessive noise for a continuous period of five (5) minutes on three (3) separate occasions within any sixty (60) minute period. "Continual" shall mean excessive noise with intervals of less than sixty (60) seconds between the noise. Provided, however, it shall not be deemed to be excessive noise if at the time of the noise a person or persons were teasing or provoking the animal or trespassing or threatening to trespass upon the private property of the owner.
FARM ANIMAL: Any chicken, goat, pig, cow, mule, sheep, horse, duck, goose or other species of bird, fowl, livestock, bovine, porcine, ovine or equine animal commonly kept or raised on a farm, except for dogs or cats that are licensed as otherwise allowed as provided in this chapter or by state law.
FOWL: Any chicken, duck, goose, turkey, guinea, pigeon, peacock or other fowl.
HEARING OFFICER: The poundmaster or any designee of the poundmaster.
IMPOUNDMENT: The taking up and confinement of any animal in an animal shelter, veterinary hospital, or other facility.
KENNEL: Any premises, wherein any person keeps six (6) or more dogs more than four (4) months of age except commercial animal establishments.
LITTER: A litter shall be defined as two (2) or more offspring from one or more female dogs located at the same premises.
LIVESTOCK: Any large animal kept or raised for use, pleasure, or profit.
OWNER: Any person, partnership, firm or corporation owning, keeping, or harboring one or more animals. An animal shall be deemed to be harbored if it is fed or sheltered for three (3) consecutive days or more.
PERSON: Any individual, partnership, firm, corporation, joint venture or entity.
PET: Any domesticated animal ordinarily permitted in a place of residence, kept for pleasure rather than utility, such as: dogs, cats, birds, guinea pigs, or hamsters.
PET SHOP: Any person, partnership, firm or corporation whether operated separately or in connection with another business enterprise except for licensed kennels, that buy, sell, or board any species of animals.
POUNDMASTER: The chief of police, unless the city manager has specifically appointed another city employee to serve as poundmaster, or the city has contracted for the performance of such services. Whenever the term "poundmaster" is used in this chapter, it shall include his or her designee.
PREMISES: A house, other dwelling, lot, or parcel of land in the city incorporated limits.
PRIVATE PROPERTY: That property on which a person or persons have the exclusive rights of disposition.
PUBLIC NUISANCE: Any animal or animals which:
A. Molests passersby or chases passing vehicles.
B. Attacks other animals.
C. Trespasses on school grounds.
D. Is repeatedly at large.
E. Damages private or public property.
F. Barks, whines, or howls or makes any other noise that disturbs the comfort and quiet of any neighborhood or any person.
PUBLIC PLACE: Any park, public building, playground, street, road, alleyway, or other places open to the public.
REPTILE: Any cold blooded animal including, but not limited to, turtles, snakes, lizards, crocodiles and alligators.
RESTRAINT: A leash not in excess of eight feet (8'), a tethered lead, or a fenced enclosure capable of keeping the animal under the control of a responsible person or within the real property limits of its owner.
UNLICENSED DOG: Any dog for which the license for the current year has not been paid.
VACCINATION OR VACCINATION AGAINST RABIES: The inoculation of a dog with a canine chick embryo origin modified live virus rabies vaccine, or canine nerve tissue killed virus rabies vaccine, approved by a health officer of the United States public health service for use in the prevention of rabies in dogs.
VETERINARY HOSPITAL: Any establishment maintained and operated by a licensed veterinarian for surgery, diagnosis and treatment of diseases and injuries of animals.
VICIOUS ANIMAL: Any animal, wild or domesticated that, when unprovoked, does any of the following:
A. Has seriously bitten, inflicted severe injury on, or killed a human being;
B. On two (2) separate occasions within the prior thirty six (36) month period has bitten a person causing a less than severe injury;
C. Has attacked and killed a domestic animal;
D. On two (2) separate occasions within the prior thirty six (36) month period has seriously bitten or inflicted severe injury on a domestic animal.
WILD ANIMAL: Any of the following:
A. Any nondomesticated animal living in a feral state;
B. Any animal described in California Fish and Game Code sections 2116 and 2118, or in any addition to Fish and Game Code section 2118 by regulation of the fish and game commission as provided for in those sections;
C. Any animal not normally kept as a domesticated animal or pet, nondomestic species when kept, maintained or harbored in such numbers or in such a manner as to constitute the likelihood of danger to the animals themselves, to human beings or to the property of human beings including, but not limited to, alligators, crocodiles, lions, monkeys and tigers;
D. Any species of animal which is venomous to human beings whether its venom is transmitted by bite, sting, touch or other means, except honey producing bees;
E. A vicious animal over which the owner has evidenced a failure to maintain control. (Ord. 2009-04, 9-22-2009)