Within the provisions of this chapter, the following definitions shall apply:
"Animal control authority"means the Langley police department or its designee, acting alone or in concert with other local governmental units for enforcement of the animal control laws of the city, county, and state.
"Animal control officer"means any individual employed, contracted with or appointed by the animal control authority for the purpose of aiding in the enforcement of this chapter or any other law or city ordinance relating to the licensure of animals, control of animals, or seizure and impoundment of animals, and includes any state or local law enforcement officer or other employee whose duties in whole or in part include the seizure and impoundment of any animal. This definition shall have the same meaning as in RCW
16.08.070.
"At large"means to be off the premises of the owner or caretaker and not under the immediate control of the owner or caretaker, or the owner's or caretaker's agent (including members of the immediate family), either by leash, cord, chain or otherwise. An animal within a vehicle of its owner shall be deemed to be upon the owner's premises.
"Dangerous dog"means any dog that according to the records of any governmental entity: (1) inflicts or has inflicted severe injury upon a human being without provocation on public or private property, (2) kills a domestic animal without provocation while off the owner's property, or (3) has been previously found to be dangerous according to the records of any governmental entity because of an injury inflicted on a human, the owner having received notice, and the dog again aggressively bites, attacks or endangers the safety of humans or domestic animals; provided, a dog shall not be considered or declared dangerous solely on the basis of inflicting bites on a person or by chasing or approaching in a menacing fashion or apparent attitude of attack toward any person who, at the time, was committing a willful trespass or other offense upon the premises occupied by the owner of the dog, or was tormenting, abusing or assaulting the animal, or has, in the past, been observed or reported to have tormented, abused or assaulted the dog, or was committing or attempting to commit a crime.
"License" or "tag"means a prenumbered identification tag acquired by the owner from an authorized agent for a specific animal. Rabies identification or other identification is not a license. "License" also refers to a city of Langley business license.
"Person"includes individuals, corporations, departments, firms, partnerships, trusts or associations, or other legal entities, and agents of those entities.
"Potentially dangerous dog"means any dog that when unprovoked: (1) bites a human or domestic animal either on public or private property, or (2) chases or approaches a person upon streets, sidewalks or any public or private property in a menacing fashion or apparent attitude of attack, or any animal with a known propensity, tendency or disposition to attack unprovoked, cause injury, or otherwise threaten safety of humans or domestic animals. A dog shall not be considered or declared potentially dangerous solely on the basis of biting a person or by chasing or approaching in a menacing fashion or apparent attitude of attack toward any person who, at the time, was committing a willful trespass or other offense upon premises occupied by the owner of the dog, or was tormenting, abusing or assaulting the dog or was committing or attempting to commit a crime.
"Proper enclosure of a dangerous dog"means, while on the owner's property, a dangerous dog shall be securely confined indoors or in a securely enclosed and locked pen or structure, suitable to prevent the entry of individuals and other domesticated animals, and designed to prevent the declared dog from escaping. Such pen or structure shall have secure sides and a secure top. If the pen or structure does not have a concrete floor secured to the sides, then the structure must be embedded in the ground no less than one foot. The pen or structure shall also provide protection from the elements for the dog.
"Proper enclosure of a potentially dangerous dog"means, while on owner's or caretaker's property, a dog which has been declared potentially dangerous shall be confined indoors, or kept in a secured fenced yard suitable as determined in the sole reasonable discretion of the animal control authority to prevent the entry of individuals and other domesticated animals and designed to prevent declared animals from escaping. The fence must meet all setbacks and height restrictions per Title 18.
"Running at large"means to be off the premises of the owner and not under the immediate control of the owner or other competent person authorized by the owner, by means of a leash, cord or chain, except when in or on any vehicle and securely confined to such vehicle.
"Severe injury"means any physical injury that results in broken bones, disfiguring lacerations requiring multiple sutures, or cosmetic surgery, and has the same meaning as defined in RCW
16.08.070.
(Ord. 978 § 1 (Att. A), 2012)