El Dorado County Municipal Code Ch. 6.04 General Provisions

This title shall be known and may be referred to as the County Animal Control Ordinance.

(Code 1997, § 6.04.010; Ord. No. 3446, § 2(part), 1984)

The purpose of this title is to regulate the control and humane treatment of animals within the boundaries of the County for the protection of the safety and welfare of the public.

(Code 1997, § 6.04.015; Ord. No. 3692, § 1, 1987)

The words and terms used in this title shall have the meaning indicated as follows unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

Animal includes any domesticated animal or captive wild animal.

Animal abuse shall be understood to mean any violation of Penal Code §§ 597 and 597.1.

Animal control means that section of the County government which is specifically charged with the regulation of and the enforcement of laws dealing with animals.

Animal Control Officer means the Director of Animal Control or any person acting in accordance with the instructions of the Director of Animal Control or any agent or agency authorized to act by the Board of Supervisors in the enforcement of the animal and rabies control programs.

Animal control shelter means a public facility operated by the enforcement agency for the impoundment and care of animals.

Director of Animal Control means the person employed by the County as the Chief Animal Control Officer.

At large means an animal which is roaming free.

Cat includes all domesticated felines.

Cattery shall be understood to mean any place operated by any person where five or more live domestic cats at least four months of age are kept, maintained, or harbored.

City means the incorporated City of South Lake Tahoe and the City of Placerville and any city incorporated hereafter.

Collar means a band, chain or other suitable device worn around the neck of a dog to which a license tag may be affixed.

Commercial animal establishment shall be understood to mean a commercial kennel and cattery, pet shop, pet grooming parlor, public aquarium, equine rental facility, cattery or protection dog facility.

Commercial cattery shall be understood to mean any place where five or more live domestic cats of at least four months of age are kept or maintained for sale, barter or hire.

Commercial kennel shall be understood to mean any place where five or more domestic dogs of at least four months of age are kept or maintained for sale, barter or hire.

County resident means a person who is physically present in the County and expresses the intent to reside therein.

Dog includes any domestic and/or domesticated member of the canine family.

Domestic animals shall be understood to mean dogs (Canis familiaris), cats (Felis catus), except as limited by Fish and Game Code § 2118, as well as horses, donkeys, mules, burros, cattle, sheep, goats, swine, rabbits, domestic avian and fowl commonly kept as domestic animals.

Equine rental facility shall be understood to mean any place operated by any person where any live horses are kept or used for hire at an hourly, daily or weekly rate.

Exhibit shall be understood to mean any place where any live animal, animals or avian are kept or maintained for public show or display.

Hearing Officer shall be understood to mean the person selected by the County Director of Health Services or the Board of Supervisors to conduct a "vicious animal" hearing.

Impoundment means the receipt or taking up and confining of any animal by the Director of Animal Control, or his or her appointee, in a manner consistent with recognized standards of humane treatment.

Incident shall be understood to mean each and every occasion that an owner allows a domestic animal to be in violation of this title.

Kennel means any enclosure, premises, building, structure, lot or area in or on which five or more dogs of at least four months of age are kept, harbored or maintained.

Large animal means any domestic bovine animal, horse, mule, burro, sheep, goat or swine.

Livestock includes all domesticated bovine, equine, caprine, bovine, avian and rodent species.

Noncommercial cattery means any place where five or more live domestic cats of at least four months of age are kept or maintained solely for the use or hobby of the householder or owner.

Noncommercial kennel means any place where five or more live domestic dogs of at least four months of age are kept or maintained solely for the use or hobby of the householder or owner.

Nuisance means anything which is injurious to health, or an obstruction to the free use of property, so as to interfere with the comfortable enjoyment of life or property.

Owner means a person who possesses, has title to or an interest in, harbors, or has control, custody or possession of an animal, and the verb of "to own" includes all these shades of meaning.

Pet grooming parlor means any place where domestic animals are trimmed, bathed or groomed other than by the owner on a regular basis for compensation.

Pet shop means any place operated by any person on a commercial basis where live animals or avian are kept for sale, barter or exhibit with the exception of large animals.

Protection dog facility means any business where the primary activity consists of the training of dogs to act as protection, attack or guard dogs.

Public aquarium means any place where live fish or other aquatic animals are kept or maintained for public exhibit, sale or trade.

Public Health Officer means the Health Officer of the County or other person duly authorized by the Health Officer to act on his or her behalf.

Quarantine means a method of confining an animal, the specific form of which is determined by the Animal Control Officer at his or her discretion.

Small animal means a domestic animal or domesticated wild animal which is not a large animal as defined in this section.

Vaccination means the inoculation of an animal with a vaccine approved by and in the manner prescribed by the State Department of Public Health.

Veterinarian means a person licensed by the State to practice veterinary medicine.

Vicious animal means any animal which has attacked, bitten, scratched or harassed people or other animals and has in a formal hearing been determined, due to its aggressive nature, to be a threat to the health and safety of the public.

Working animals.

A. The term "working animals" mean animals under the control of humans used in the movement of livestock, poultry or in the taking of wild animals or fowls during season established by the U.S. government, the State or in field trials, exhibitions or competitions.

B. The term "working animals" shall also refer to any animal used by law enforcement agencies of the County, State and Federal governments while in the performance of their official duties, to include police dogs.

(Code 1997, § 6.04.020; Ord. No. 3446, § 2(part), 1984; Ord. No. 3692, § 2, 1987; Ord. No. 3764, § 1, 1987)