As used in this chapter certain words are defined as follows, unless the context otherwise requires:
(a) "Animal" means any live, vertebrate creature, domestic or wild.
(b) "Dangerous dog" means a dog that, without provocation, and subject to division (b)(5) of this section, has done any of the following:
(1) Has chased in an apparent attitude of attack or has attempted to bite or otherwise endanger any person while that dog or other animal is off the premises of its owner, keeper or harborer and not under the reasonable control of its owner, keeper, harborer or some other reasonable person.
(2) Caused injury, other than killing or serious injury, to any person;
(3) Killed another dog;
(5) "Dangerous dog" does not include a police dog that has caused injury, other than killing or serious injury, to any person or has killed another dog while the police dog is being used to assist one (1) or more law enforcement officers in the performance of their official duties.
(c) "Domesticated animal" means any animal which is accepted by the general public as tamable and bred as a tamed animal for the purposes of man. These include, but are not limited to, dogs, house cats, gerbils, and guinea pigs.
(d) "Exotic animal" shall have the same meaning as "dangerous wild animal" as defined in R.C. Chapter 935.
(e) "Hybrid" means the cross breeding of two (2) or more species of animals that would not normally be bred together, including but not limited to, wolf-dog, coyote-dog, ocelot-house cat.
(f) "Own, keep or harbor" means to have legal title, custody or control over any animal.
(g) "Owner" means any person, firm, association, or corporation owning or having a proprietary interest in an animal.
(h) "Person" means any natural person, association, partnership, organization, or corporation.
(i) "Police dog" means a dog that has been trained, and may be used, to assist one (1) or more law enforcement officers in the performance of their official duties.
(j) "Serious injury" means any of the following:
(1) Any physical harm that carries a substantial risk of death;
(2) Any physical harm that involves a permanent incapacity, whether partial or total, or a temporary, substantial incapacity;
(3) Any physical harm that involves a permanent disfigurement or a temporary, serious disfigurement;
(4) Any physical harm that involves acute pain of a duration that results in substantial suffering or any degree of prolonged or intractable pain.
(k) "Vicious dog" means a dog that, without provocation and subject to division (k)(l) of this section, has killed or caused serious injury to any person.
(1) "Vicious dog" does not include either of the following:
A. A police dog that has killed or caused serious injury to any person while the police dog is being used to assist one (1) or more law enforcement officers in the performance of their official duties;
B. A dog that has killed or caused serious injury to any person while that person was committing or attempting to commit a trespass or other criminal offense on the property of the owner, keeper or harborer of the dog.
(l) "Wild animal" means any non-domesticated animal which generally lives in its original natural state, and is not normally domesticated, and/or falls under the jurisdiction of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.
(m) "Without provocation" means that a dog or other animal was not teased, tormented or abused by a person, or that the dog or other animal was not coming to the aid or the defense of a person who was not engaged in illegal or criminal activity and who was not using the dog or other animal as a means of carrying out such activity.
(Ord. 76-96. Passed 6-10-96; Ord. 77-01. Passed 6-25-01; Ord. 72-03. Passed 9-8-03; Ord. 25-18. Passed 2-26-18; Ord. 09-2020. Passed 1-27-20.)