For the purpose of these regulations, certain terms and words are to be used and interpreted as defined hereinafter. Words used in the present tense shall include the future tense; words in the singular number include the plural and words in the plural number include the singular, except where the natural construction of the writing indicates otherwise. Words and certain terms not defined herein shall have the meanings stated in Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, as revised. Whenever a dispute arises about the meaning of a word, group of words or phrase, the construction given to such a word or phrase shall be determined by reference to the latest available edition of Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary.
Any animal three (3) months of age or older.
Any living creature, but specifically excluding human beings. Any living vertebrate creature, domestic or wild, other than Homo sapiens, insects, and plants.
Any premises designated by the city for the purpose of impounding and caring for all animals running at large in violation of this chapter.
On premises of owner.
Any animal when on the property of the owner and not under restraint by a competent person and/or not being secured or confined by a building, wall, chain, fence or other physical apparatus to include underground electric fencing not of sufficient strength or construction to restrain the animal. Animals temporarily released and being supervised and controlled for the purpose of obedience or similar training are not at large unless threatening or attacking nearby citizens or property.
Off premises of owner.(A) (B)
Any animal when it is off the property of its owner and not under restraint by a competent person by means of a leash, chain, or other physical apparatus to include animal carriers and not of sufficient strength and length to control the actions of such animal. Animals temporarily released and being supervised and controlled for the purpose of obedience or similar training are not at large unless threatening or attacking nearby citizens or property.
An animal when chained or tied and intruding upon the property of another person other than the owner.
A commonly domesticated member of the Felidae (feline) family.
Includes a manner that causes or permits unjustified or unwarranted pain or suffering.
Shall include torturing or poisoning an animal; failing to reasonably provide food, water, care, or shelter; treating an animal in a cruel manner causing serious injury or death to the animal; unreasonably abandoning an animal in the person’s custody; transporting or confining an animal in a cruel manner; causing bodily injury to an animal; fighting one animal with another; or seriously overworking an animal.
As defined by state law, Health and Safety Code chapter 822, subchapter D, section 822.041:
Makes an unprovoked attack on a person that causes bodily injury and 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
Commits unprovoked acts 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 and those acts cause a person to reasonably believe that the dog will attack and cause bodily injury to that person.
A commonly domesticated member of the Canidae (canine) family.
Shall include the following species: dogs, cats, and other household pets. Any domesticated animal raised as a house pet must not be used for breeding purposes. It does not include hybrid species resulting from crossing exotic/wild species with a domestic species.
The domestic ferret is of the species Mustela putorius furo. Shall mean any live or dead domestic ferret (Mustela putorius furo).
A fence with pickets four feet high and not more than six inches apart, a fence with three boards not less than five inches wide and one inch thick or four rails provided the fence is at least four feet high, a fence constructed of a pipe which demonstrates a sufficient strength and height to restrain the animal being contained, or a chain-link fence at least four feet in height. Fencing must be in good repair, sufficient for the breed, and may not include trash (including but not limited to doors, mattress springs, etc.).
All species of animals, including feral animals and any type of ferret other than Mustela putorius furo, that commonly exist in a natural unconfined state and are usually not domesticated. This shall include but not be limited to snakes, elephants, bears, leopards, monkeys, skunks, tigers, lions, ocelots, cougars, leopards, cheetahs, jaguars, bobcats, lynx, servals, caracals, hyenas, coyotes, jackals, baboons, chimpanzees, orangutans, gorillas, or any hybrid of an animal listed here or other such animals.
Temperatures above 90 degrees or below 42 degrees, snow, sleet, ice or heavy rain.
Any animal generally considered domesticated but that does not have an owner and is wild.
Chickens, ducks, swans, guineas, pigeons, pheasants, peacocks, geese, turkeys, quail, doves or similar feathered animals except parakeets, parrots or other birds that are customarily retained as common household pets.
The act of keeping and caring for an animal or of providing premises to which the animal returns for food, shelter or care for a period of three days or longer.
Shall include dogs, cats, rabbits, rodents, parakeets, parrots, reptiles, pot-bellied pigs, and any other species of animal which is sold or retained as a household pet, but shall not include skunks, non-human primates, venomous snakes and any other species of wild, exotic or carnivorous animal that may be further restricted in this law or by state or federal law.
Cattle, oxen, swine, sheep, horses, mules, donkeys, llamas, burros, goats, ostriches, emus or any crossbreeding of such species.
Any person, firm or corporation who has right of property in an animal and/or who has the right of property on which the animal is kept or who harbors an animal and allows an animal to remain about his property for a period of three (3) days or longer.
Any animal or animals that unreasonably annoy humans, endanger the life or health of other animals or persons, or substantially interfere with the rights of citizens, other than their owners, to enjoyment of life or property.
The word “shall” is a mandatory condition, the word “should” is an advisory condition to insure safe operation conditions, and the word “may” is a permissive condition.
Any animal for which there is no identifiable owner or harborer.
Controlled by leash, cord, or other suitable material attached to a collar or harness, or within a motor vehicle.
An incident in which an animal has attacked a human being or an animal and was not hit, kicked, or struck by a human being with any object or part of a human being’s body, nor was any part of the animal’s body pulled, pinched, or squeezed by a human being, nor was the animal taunted or teased by any human being, nor was the human being in the animal’s territory or on the property of the animal’s owner at the time of the attack.
Properly injected with a rabies vaccine licensed for use in that species by the United States Department of Agriculture and administered by a veterinarian licensed to practice in the state.
(Ordinance 319, sec. 1, adopted 3/7/11; Ordinance adopting Code)