As used in this article, the following terms shall have the
meanings indicated:
EMERGENCY SITUATION
Whenever a law-enforcement officer, the Animal Control Officer,
or his designee, has probable cause to believe any wild, exotic, venomous
or poisonous animal is being housed, kept or confined in Mathews County
and has probable cause to believe:
A.
The owner/custodian of said animal does not have, or is not
properly maintaining, a secure pen, cage, or enclosure as required
by this article; or
B.
Other conditions exist, such as but not limited to:
(1)
Lack of supervision or maintenance by owner/custodian, that
could cause said animal to not be properly confined or could cause
the escape of said animal;
(2)
The likelihood that within 72 hours of flooding, high winds,
or fire could cause said animal to not be properly confined or could
cause the escape of said animal; or
(3)
The owner/custodian of said animal is in violation of this article
and the actions of the owner/custodian, or inaction of the owner/custodian,
presents a danger to public safety.
EXOTIC ANIMAL
Any live monkey (non-human primate), raccoon, skunk, wolf,
wolf-canine hybrid, squirrel, fox, nondomesticated porcine, leopard,
tiger, lion, panther; any type of hybrid of a warm-blooded animal,
which can normally be found in the wild, that has been bred with any
type of domesticated or companion animal; nonvenomous reptiles six
feet or longer in length which can normally be found in the wild;
all constrictor-type snakes; any member of the crocodilian family,
including, but not limited to, alligators, crocodiles, caimans, and
gavials; or any other animal that would require a standard of care
and control greater than that required for domestic farm animals or
for customary household pets sold by commercial pet shops.
LOCAL EXOTIC ANIMAL PERMIT
The permit required by this article in order to keep or exhibit
or permit to be kept or exhibited upon any property within Mathews
County, Virginia, any wild, exotic, venomous or poisonous animal.
WILD ANIMAL
Any warm-blooded animal that can normally be found undomesticated
and in their natural habitat. This includes hybrid animals, which
are created by breeding animals of different species but the same
genus.