§ 4-5. Definitions.

Oakdale Municipal Code · 2026-07 edition · updated 2026-09-27 · Oakdale

For the purpose of this article, the following words and phrases shall have the meanings respectively ascribed to them by this section:

ANIMAL — Any live, vertebrate creature, domestic or wild.

ANIMAL SHELTER — Any facility operated by humane society or municipal agency, or its authorized agents for the purpose of impounding or caring for animals held under the authority of this ordinance or state law.

AT LARGE — An animal off the premises of its owner and not under restraint by leash.

AUCTIONS — Any place or facility where animals are regularly bought, sold, or traded except for those facilities defined in this ordinance.

COMMERCIAL ANIMAL ESTABLISHMENT — Any pet, grooming shop, auction, riding school or stable, animal exhibition or kennel.

DANGEROUS DOG — Any dog, except one assisting a peace officer engaged in law enforcement duties, which demonstrates any of the following behavior, is presumed dangerous.

(a) An attack which requires a defensive action by any person to prevent bodily injury or property damage when such person is conducting himself or herself peacefully and lawfully.
(b) An attack which results in property damage or in an injury to a person when such a person is conducting himself or herself peacefully and lawfully.
(c) An attack on another animal, livestock, or poultry which occurs on property other than that of the owner of the attacking dog.
(d) Any behavior which constitutes a threat of bodily harm to a person when such person is conducting himself or herself peacefully and lawfully.

For the purpose of this section, a person is conducting himself or herself peacefully and lawfully upon the private property of an owner or possessor of the dog when he or she is on such property in the performance of any duty imposed on such person by state or local law or by the laws of postage regulations of the United States, or when he or she is on such property upon invitation, either expressed or implied.

(e) A history of three dog bites to human beings not members of the immediate family of the owner of the dog.

DOG LICENSE — A license tag required to be obtained annually for each individual dog. GROOMING SHOP — A commercial establishment where animals are bathed, clipped, plucked, or otherwise groomed.

IMPOUNDMENT — The taking up and confining of an animal by the direction in the manner consistent with recognized standards of humane treatment.

KENNEL — A place where four or more dogs of four months of age or older are kept or any premises wherein any person or persons engage in the business of boarding, breeding, buying, letting for hire,

Downloaded from https://ecode360.com/OA4108 on 2026-07-07

City of Oakdale, CA § 4-5

ANIMALS AND FOWL

§ 4-5

training for a fee, or selling of dogs or cats.

LIVESTOCK — Any domesticated cattle, goats, swine, sheep, and equine which are kept in captivity or under the control or ownership of any person for any purpose.

OWNER — Any person who possesses, has title to or an interest in, harbors or has control, custody or possession of an animal and the verb forms of "to own" include all these shades of meanings. An animal shall be deemed to be harbored if it is fed or sheltered for five consecutive days or more.

QUARANTINE — The strict confinement of an animal upon the premises of the owner or the Oakdale City Animal Shelter or elsewhere as approved by the chief of police or animal control officer.

PET SHOP — Any shop, partnership, or corporation, whether operated separately or in connection with another business enterprise except for a licensed kennel, that buys, sells, or boards any species of animals, reptiles or fish.

PUBLIC NUISANCE — Any animal or animals which:

(a)
- Attacks any person, passing bicycle, motorcycle or vehicle.
(b)
- Attacks other animals.
(c) Trespasses on school grounds.
(d)
- Is repeatedly at large.
(e)
- Damages private or public property.
(f)
- Barks, whines, or howls in an excessive or continuous manner.
(g) Defecates on private property (other than the property of the animal owner), sidewalks, street, alleyway, or in any public park, or other public place.

RIDING SCHOOL OR STABLE — Any place which has available for hire, boarding, and/or riding instructions, any horse, pony, mule or burro.

TRANQUILIZER OR CAPTURE GUN — Any rifle/pistol used to immobilize any animal, with a substance approved by the Federal Drug Administration.

VACCINATION — The inoculation of an animal against rabies with vaccine approved by, and in the manner prescribed by, the State Department of Public Health.

WILD ANIMAL — Any of the following:

(a)
- Following members of the Class Aves:
- (1) Order Falconiformes (such as, but not limited to, hawks, eagles and vultures which are not kept pursuant to federal or state permit); and
- (2) Subdivision Ratitae (such as, but not limited to, ostriches, rheas, cassowaries, emus).
(b)
Following members of the Class Mammalia:
(1) Order Carnivora, expressly excepting the domestic dog (Canis familiaris) and the domestic cat (Felis catus), but including, but not limited to, the family Felidea (such as ocelots, margays, tigers, jaguars, leopards and cougars), the family Canidae (such as wolves, wolf hybrids, dingos, coyotes and jackals); and

Downloaded from https://ecode360.com/OA4108 on 2026-07-07

City of Oakdale, CA § 4-5

OAKDALE CITY CODE

§ 4-7

(2) Order Marsupialia (such as kangaroos and opossums); and
(3) Order Chiroptera (bats); and
(4) Order Edentata (such as sloths, anteaters and armadillos); and
(5) Order Proboscidea (elephants); and
(6) Order Primata (including, but not limited to, monkeys, chimpanzees and gorillas); and
(7) Order Ungulata (expressly excluding any animal which would be included within the definition of "domestic animal," camels and llamas), including, but not limited to, antelope, deer and bison.
(c) Any nondomestic species when kept, maintained or harbored in such numbers or in such a manner as to constitute the likelihood of danger to the animals themselves, to human beings or to the property of human beings. [Ord. No. 1000, § 1.]

§ 4-6. Applicability of article. [Ord. No. 1000, § 1.]

The provisions of this article relating to licensing requirements shall not apply to any dog owned by or in charge of any person who is not a resident of the City and who is traveling through the City, or temporarily staying therein, for a period not to exceed thirty days, if the dog is not permitted to run at large; nor to any dog brought into the City and kept therein for not to exceed thirty days for the exclusive purpose of entering the dog in any dog show, dog exhibition, field trials or competition, if the dog is not permitted to run at large; nor to any dog brought or sent into the City from any point outside thereof for the exclusive purpose of receiving veterinary care in any dog hospital, if the dog is not permitted to run at large; nor to any dog trained to lead the blind and owned by a blind person, if the dog is not permitted to run at large.