6.02.015 Definitions.
A. “Adult” means a person who is 18 years of age or older.
B. “Animal” means any nonhuman mammal, bird, reptile, or amphibian.
C. “Animal control authority” means the department of the city with responsibility for enforcement of the animal control laws of the city, county, and state and the shelter and welfare of animals.
D. “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 ordinance relating to impoundment of animals, and including any state or local law enforcement officer or any other employee whose duties in whole or in part include assignments that involve seizure and impoundment of any animal.
E. “At large” means off the premises of the owner and not under the immediate control of the owner, member of his immediate family or person authorized by the owner, by means of a leash, cord or chain not longer than eight feet in length.
F. “Dangerous animal” means any animal that according to the records of the appropriate authority has:
1. Inflicted severe injury on a human being without provocation on public or private property; or
2. Killed a domestic animal without provocation while off the owner’s property; or
3. Been previously found to be potentially dangerous because of injury inflicted on a human, the owner having received notice of such, and the animal again aggressively bites, attacks or endangers the safety of humans.
G. “Domestic animals” means any animals that are usually tamed and bred for the uses of humans.
H. “Exotic animal” means any animal which is not commonly domesticated or which is not native to or usually found in the United States, including:
1. All nonhuman primates;
2. All wild cats of the family Felidae and their hybrid, except for the domestic cat, Felis catus;
3. All species of bear;
4. All wild carnivores of the family Canidae and their hybrid, except for the domestic dog, Canis familiaris;
5. Venomous reptiles and amphibians;
6. All reticulated pythons, Burmese pythons and snakes which may reach three feet or more in length; and
7. All members of the families Alligator (Alligator), Crocodile (Crocodylus) and Caiman (Crocodylus).
I. “Guard dog” means any dog which has been trained or is represented by its owner as having been trained to protect persons and/or property by exhibiting hostility and aggressiveness to unauthorized persons. A dangerous animal or potentially dangerous animal as defined by this chapter is not a guard dog.
J. “Livestock” means animals usually found on farms, including but not limited to horses, mules, bovine animals, sheep, goats, llamas, ostriches, poultry and swine. Except, livestock shall not mean miniature pot-bellied pigs as defined in this section.
K. “Miniature pot-bellied pig” means a type of swine commonly known as the North American Vietnamese, Chinese, or Asian pot-bellied pig (Sus scrofa vittatus) that is no more than 22 inches in height at the shoulder and no more than 150 pounds in weight.
L. “Owner” means a person who has a right, claim, title, legal share, or right of possession to an animal or a person having lawful control, custody, or possession of an animal, and also anyone who provides ongoing care or feed to otherwise homeless domestic animals or feral cats.
M. “Person” means individuals, corporations, partnerships, associations, or other legal entities, and agents of those entities.
N. “Potentially dangerous animal” means any animal that when unprovoked:
1. Inflicts bites on a human or domestic animal either on public or private property; or
2. Chases or approaches a person on the streets, sidewalks, or any public grounds in a menacing fashion or apparent attitude of attack, or any animal with a known propensity, tendency, or disposition to attack unprovoked, to cause injury, or otherwise to threaten the safety of humans or domestic animals.
O. “Poultry” means domestic fowl normally raised for meat or eggs, and includes, but is not limited to, chickens, turkeys, ducks, and geese.
P. “Proper enclosure of a dangerous animal” means, while on the owner’s property, a dangerous animal shall be securely confined indoors or in a securely enclosed and locked pen or structure, suitable to prevent the entry of young children and to prevent the animal from escaping. Such pen or structure shall have sides secured either to a concrete floor or embedded at least six inches into the ground, shall have a secured top, and shall also provide protection from the elements for the animals.
Q. “Provocation” means taunting, tormenting, abusing, or assaulting an animal. It also means a willful trespass or other tort upon the premises occupied by the owner of an animal or upon the premises where an animal is normally kept.
R. “Severe injury” means any physical injury that results in broken bones or lacerations requiring multiple sutures or cosmetic injury.
S. “Wild animal” means an animal living in its natural state and native to the United States and not normally domesticated, raised or bred by humans. (Ord. 3145 § 1, 2015; Ord. 2884 § 1, 2011; Ord. 2604 § 1, 2006; Ord. 2091 § 1, 1996; Ord. 1597 § 1, 1987; Ord. 1519 § 1, 1986; Ord. 1215, 1981)