The following words, terms and phrases, when used in this chapter, shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning:
means a dog, cat or any other animal which has been deserted by its owner; to wit, such animal has been left at an unoccupied residence, has no food nor water provided, roams at large, and is neither tagged nor licensed.
means any living creature, including but not limited to dogs, cats, cows, horses, birds, fish, mammals, reptiles, insects, fowl and livestock, but specifically excluding human beings.
means any person designated by the city as an officer who is authorized and qualified to perform animal control duties under the laws of the city.
means any facility designated or recognized by the city for the purposes of impounding and caring for animals held under the authority of this chapter and state law.
means off the premises of the owner and not under the complete control either by leash, cord, chain or effective verbal command of the owner who is then physically present with the dog, or on the premises of the owner and not within the direct, constant and immediate presence of a person having effective verbal command of the dog, or otherwise confined to such premises by means of a leash, cord, chain or enclosure.
means all members of the feline family of either sex, including one neutered or sterilized.
means all members of the canine family of either sex, including one neutered or sterilized.
means any live bird.
means the act of keeping or caring for an animal or of providing a premises to which the animal returns for food, shelter or care for a period of three days or more.
means care of an animal, including but not limited to adequate heat, ventilation and sanitary shelter, wholesome food and water, consistent with the normal requirements and feeding habits of the animal’s size, species and breed.
means to take into custody or to place in the animal control shelter of the city or other authorized confinement area.
means any treatment to any animal that deprives the animal of necessary sustenance, including food, water or protection from weather, or any treatment of any animal such as overloading, overworking, tormenting, beating, mutilating or teasing, or other abnormal treatment as may be determined by the animal control officer or a law enforcement officer.
means an establishment kept for the purposes of breeding, selling or boarding dogs or cats or engaged in training dogs or cats.
means any domestic cattle, sheep, goats, horses, mules and donkeys.
means surgically sterilizing sexually; that is spayed or castrated; rendered permanently incapable of reproduction.
means a dog or cat or another animal, either licensed or unlicensed, that:
Molests passerby;
Chases passing vehicles;
Is not vaccinated against rabies as required by this chapter;
Is repeatedly at large;
Turns over garbage cans;
Barks, whines or howls in an excessive, loud, continuous fashion so as to unreasonably disturb nearby persons;
Yowls, growls or hisses in an excessive, loud, continuous fashion so as to unreasonably disturb nearby persons;
Damages, soils, defiles or defecates on private property other than the owner’s or on public walks and recreation areas unless such waste is immediately removed and properly disposed of by the owner;
Causes unsanitary, dangerous or offensive conditions;
Molests, attacks or interferes with persons or other domestic animals; or
Is without an owner.
means any person who has, harbors, keeps or causes or permits to be harbored or kept, or has in his care or who permits a dog, cat or other animal on or about his premises for a period of three days or more.
means any animal that normally kills or stuns its prey by chemical means.
means chickens, turkeys, geese, ducks and guineas.
means any object of value that a person may lawfully acquire and hold; that which may be owned as land, a residence, a vehicle, and animal, etc.
means strict confinement under restraint at a facility approved by the city health officer.
means an acute viral disease of man and animal affecting the central nervous system and usually transmitted by an animal bite.
means a house, apartment, room or duplex inhabited as the principal dwelling place of a person.
means a structure or building designed, constructed or converted for use as a residence.
means an animal is under restraint under the following conditions:
It is securely enclosed or confined to its owner’s yard by a physical fence in a manner that will isolate the animal from the public and from other animals except animals owned or under control of the owner;
It is secured by a leash of at least five (5) and not more than ten (10) feet in length and of sufficient strength to control the animal while the animal is being walked;
A guard dog in performance of duty in an enclosed building or securely fenced and locked area which is clearly marked on all sides with signs in four-inch letters stating “guard dog” and clearly visible to the public; or
A cat on the boundaries of the premises of the person who has charge, care or ownership of the cat.
means:
Off premises
means:
On premises
means any dog not confined to the premises of the owner by a substantial fence of sufficient strength and height to prevent the animal from escaping therefrom, or secured on the premises by a metal chain or leash sufficient in strength to prevent the animal from escaping from the premises and so arranged that the animal will remain upon the premises when the leash is stretched to full length. A dog intruding upon the property of another person other than the owner shall be deemed at large. Any animal within an automobile or other vehicle of its owner or owner’s agent shall be deemed at large.
means running free with no physical restraint beyond the premises of the owner.
means any device placed by an animal control officer, employed or used in the capture of animals, that is not under the constant supervision of an officer and that functions in such a manner as to confine any animal entering the device.
(with respect to an attack by an animal) means that the animal was not hit, kicked or struck by a person with an object or part of a person’s body nor was any part of the animal’s body pulled, pinched or squeezed by a person.
means an injection of rabies vaccine approved by the United States Department of Agriculture administered every 12 calendar months by a licensed veterinarian.
means:
Any dog that, when unprovoked, inflicts severe injury or death to a person, or bites a person on public or private property.
Any dog that has killed a domestic animal without provocation while off the owner’s property.
Any dog that, when unprovoked, chases or approaches a person upon the streets, sidewalks, or any public or private property in a menacing fashion or apparent attitude of attack such that the person reasonably believes that the dog will cause physical injury to that person.
Any individual dog with a known propensity, tendency or disposition to attack unprovoked, to cause injury, or to otherwise threaten the safety of persons or domestic animals.
means any non-domestic animal normally found in a natural habitat.
(Ordinance adopting 2023 Code)