City of River Oaks, TX GENERAL PROVISIONS

For purposes of this chapter, the terms and words stated below are defined as stated in this section. In this chapter, words in the present tense include the future, words in the singular number include the plural, words in the plural number include the singular, and the word “shall” is mandatory.

Animal.

Any warm-blooded animal.

Animal bite.

An animal bite is a wound, usually lacerations, caused by the teeth penetrating and resulting in a break in the skin or otherwise causing bodily injury.

Animal control authority.

The city’s animal control department.

Animal control officer.

An employee of the city designated by the chief of police to enforce this chapter.

Cat.

A domesticated animal of the feline family, specifically Felis catus.

Dangerous dog.

A dog that:

(1)

Makes an unprovoked attack on a person that causes bodily injury and that occurs in a place other than an enclosure in which the dog was being kept and that was reasonably certain to prevent the dog from leaving the enclosure on its own; or

(2)

Commits unprovoked acts in a place other than an enclosure in which the dog was being kept and that was certain to prevent the dog from leaving the enclosure on its own and those acts cause a person to reasonably believe that the dog will attack and cause bodily injury to that person.

Dog.

A domesticated animal that is a member of the canine family, specifically Canis familiaris.

Estray.

Any stray livestock.

Feral animal.

Any animal that is undomesticated, wild, homeless, untamed, or otherwise unaccustomed to human interaction.

Fowl.

Any bird, wild or domesticated, such as but not limited to chickens, ducks, geese, peacocks, pheasants, quail, turkey, or other birds, except common household pets such as parakeets, parrots, etc.

Guard or attack dog.

Any dog professionally trained for security purposes.

Harboring.

The act of keeping and caring for an animal or providing a premises to which the animal returns for food, shelter, or care for a period of 72 hours.

Impounded.

Taken into custody and placed into an animal control facility.

Kennel.

Any shelter where dogs or cats are bred, boarded, or held in return for payment.

Livestock.

Any cattle, horses, stallions, mares, geldings, fillies, colts, mules, jacks, jennets, asses, burros, sheep, goats, swine, other penned animals, chicken, or any other fowl, including any miniature forms of any of these animals.

Local rabies control officer.

The person or entity designated by the city to receive reports of animal bites, investigate such reports, and ensure quarantine of suspected rabid animals.

Nuisance animal.

Any animal for which the animal control officer has received three reports for any of the following:

(1)

Running at-large;

(2)

Causing a disturbance due to excessive noise;

(3)

Chasing a person; or

(4)

Causes a disturbance by causing a person to be in fear of the animal.

Owner.

Any person, firm, corporation, association, partnership, or trust who has a property right or interest in an animal or who harbors an animal or who allows an animal to remain on a premises for a period of 72 hours or more.

Owner quarantine.

Requires:

(1)

The animal be kept inside an enclosed structure, i.e., house or garage, or, if kept outside, the animal must be kept behind a fence from which it cannot escape and on a chain from which it cannot break loose or inside a covered pen or kennel from which it cannot escape; and

(2)

The animal must remain so contained for ten (10) days without interruption.

Pet.

A domesticated animal including, but not limited to a cat, dog, rabbit, rodent, bird, and any other species of animal which is sold or retained in a household, but shall not include livestock, fowl, a skunk, nonhuman primates, and any wild, exotic or carnivorous animal.

Running at-large.

An animal not completely confined by a building, cage, container, wall, leash, rope, chain, vehicle, or fence of sufficient construction to restrain the animal, whether on or off the owner’s premises. An animal being physically held by the owner within the limits of the owner’s private property is not an animal running at-large.

Secure enclosure.

A fenced area or structure that is: (1) locked; (2) capable of preventing the entry of the general public, including children; (3) capable of preventing the escape or release of the animal to be contained therein; (4) clearly marked as containing a dangerous animal; and (5) has four walls, a floor, and a ceiling or roof.

Stray animal.

Any animal for which there is no identifiable owner or harborer.

Swine.

Any hog or pig, whether domestic, wild, potbelly, or other.

Vaccinated.

Properly injected with a rabies vaccine licensed for use in that species by the United States Department of Agriculture or the department of state health services and administered by a veterinarian licensed to practice in the state.

Vicious animal.

An animal that makes an unprovoked attack on another animal that causes bodily injury and that occurs in a place other than an enclosure in which the animal was being kept and that was reasonably certain to prevent the animal from leaving the enclosure on its own.

Wild animal.

Includes all species of animals which commonly exist in a natural, unconfined state and are usually not domesticated, regardless of the circumstances or duration of captivity, including, but not limited to, the following:

A lion;

A tiger;

An ocelot;

A cougar;

A leopard;

A cheetah;