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The following terms used in this title have the following meanings:

Adoption” means the process by which a person over the age of majority selects and pays the fees necessary to bring into one’s own home an animal from the Borough animal shelter.

Animal” means all domestic or domesticated members of the kingdom animalia, classes mammalia, aves, reptilia and amphibia.

Animal bite” means an injury, including puncture wounds, lacerations and/or contusions, caused by the mouth and/or teeth of an animal.

Animal control” means a division of the Department of Emergency Operations.

Animal Control Manager” means the supervisor of animal control or their designee.

Animal control officer” means any Borough employee with the personnel position title of animal control officer and who, under the supervision of the Animal Control Manager, is charged with the responsibility of enforcing this title.

Animal shelter” means any premises designated or recognized by the Borough for the purpose of impounding and caring for abandoned, stray, confiscated or surrendered animals, as well as the reclaiming of stray animals and the placement of unowned adoptable animals with new owners.

At large” means any animal not under restraint.

Cat” means any domestic or domesticated member of the family felidae.

Dog” means any domestic or domesticated member of the family canidae.

Euthanasia” means ending the life of an animal accomplished by a method that involves instantaneous unconsciousness and immediate death, or by a method that causes painless loss of consciousness and death during loss of consciousness.

Exposure to rabies” means rabies virus introduced into bite wounds, into open cuts in the skin, or onto mucous membranes from saliva or other potentially infectious material such as neural tissue.

Ferret” means any domestic or domesticated member of the family mustelidae.

Identification” means a collar with owner contact information, a rabies tag, a readable tattoo, microchip or other means of identifying an animal’s owner.

Neutered male” means any male animal that has been castrated.

Notice of removal” means a document completed by an animal control officer who removes an animal from private property upon which there exists a residence. The notice shall provide the following information:

1. Date and time of removal;

2. Name of officer removing the animal;

3. Description of animal removed;

4. Reason for removal;

5. Contact name, phone number and location where the animal will be located for further disposition.

Owner” means any person over the age of majority, partnership, or corporation owning, keeping, or harboring one or more animals, and with the ability to provide proof of ownership. An animal shall be deemed to be harbored if it is fed or sheltered for three days or more.

Planned breeding” means any purposeful breeding intended for the perpetuation of a specific type of animal.

Potential exposure to rabies” means suspected but not confirmed of having been exposed to rabies.

Proof of ownership” means undisputable evidence of ownership of an animal; examples include but are not limited to registered microchip, historical photos of the animal, rabies certificate, veterinary records, pedigree, bill of sale or adoption contract.

Protective custody” means impoundment of an animal for its own protection.

Public nuisance” means any animal that menaces or chases passersby or passing vehicles, attacks other animals, is repeatedly at large, trespasses on school grounds or other public or private property, damages public or private property, or that barks, whines, howls or makes other loud noises excessively or continuously and substantially interferes with the use and enjoyment of property.

Quarantine” means the isolation and confinement of an animal in an animal shelter, upon the owner’s private premises or in a veterinary hospital to observe for signs of rabies.

Recognized animal activity” means events, trials or training generally accepted by animal organizations, or hunting when conducted in accordance with state regulations and the owner can demonstrate that the animal is trained to perform in that hunting sport.

Restraint,” for the purposes of this title, means:

1. Physical confinement, as by leash, chain, cable, fence or building; or

2. Under competent voice control when an animal is engaged in a recognized animal activity or form of training requiring that it not be physically confined; or

3. Under competent voice control of a person who is physically present with an animal when that animal is on the property of the owner or on private property with the permission of the property owner; or

4. An electronic fence that controls the movement of an animal by emitting an electrical, physical or audible stimulus when the animal wearing an electronic collar nears the boundary of the property; provided, that a sign must be clearly posted on the property indicating the use of such device.

Small mammal” means mice, rats, hamsters, gerbils, sugar gliders, hedgehogs, guinea pigs, chinchillas and rabbits.

Spayed female” means any female animal which has an ovariectomy or ovariohysterectomy performed.

Stray” means an animal which is at large, or held by a citizen for pick-up or turned in to the animal control officer.

Strict quarantine” means quarantine in which the domestic mammal cannot have direct contact with humans or other mammals.

Veterinary hospital” means a hospital, doctor’s office or medical building owned or operated by a licensed veterinarian for the treatment of animals. (Ord. 2023-41 § 2, 2023; Ord. 2022-34 § 2, 2022; Ord. 2019-09 § 2, 2019; Ord. 2017-27 § 4, 2017; Ord. 2016-11 § 2, 2016; Ord. 2013-72 § 3, 2013; Ord. 2004-38 § 4, 2004; Ord. 2002-03 § 2, 2002; Ord. 2000-50 § 2, 2000; Ord. 95-003 § 2, 1995; Ord. 93-021 § 5, 1993; Ord. 89-058 § 2, 1989; Ord. 88-058 § 3, 1988; Ord. 82-104 § 2, 1983; Ord. 80-65 § 2, 1980; Ord. 78-15, 1978. 2004 Code § 6.04.010.)