Palm Desert Municipal Code Ch. 6.04 Definitions

For the purposes of this title, the following definitions apply unless the context clearly requires a different meaning. Certain chapters within this title may include definitions specific to their subject matter, which are not repeated here.

(Ord. 874 § 1, 1998; Ord. 1437, 12/11/2025)

"Altered"

means a male animal that has been neutered or a female animal that has been spayed. Also referred to as a sterile animal.

"Animal control officer"

means the code compliance & support services manager of the city of Palm Desert or his or her designee. The animal control officer has the authority to delegate animal control duties to code enforcement officers, other employees of the city, and contracted animal control providers, provided all contracted roles are subordinate to city oversight. Animal control duties may also be assigned to any individual or entity otherwise obligated by state law or city contract to perform animal control functions within the city.

"At large"

means any dog off its owner's, custodian's, or caretaker's property that is not physically restrained by a leash, carrier, or secured enclosure. Voice, eye, or signal control alone is not sufficient restraint. Leashes must be appropriate size and material to the dog and held by a person capable of maintaining control.

"Backyard breeding"

means the breeding, selling, transferring, or giving away of all or part of any litter of dogs that were bred and reared on a residentially zoned property.

"Cattery"

means any building, structure, enclosure, or premises where five or more cats aged three months or older, are kept or maintained.

"City"

means the city of Palm Desert.

"City manager"

means the city manager of the city of Palm Desert or their designee.

"County"

means the county of Riverside.

"Development services department"

means the development services department of the city of Palm Desert.

"Dog"

means any member of the genus Canis, including both female and male dogs, and any recognized domestic dog breed.

"Exigent circumstances"

means circumstances in which the officer, in his/her reasonable judgment, determines that a life threatening or serious injury may occur if immediate action is not taken, i.e., animal may die if not immediately transported to a veterinarian, or animal may bite and seriously injure a human or animal if not immediately impounded, or animal may die if officer does not immediately enter property and rescue, etc.

"Guide dog"

means any guide dog or seeing eye dog that was trained by a person licensed under Chapter 9.5 (commencing with Section 7200) of Division 3 of the Business and Professions Code or that meets the definitional criteria under federal regulations adopted to implement Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (Public Law 101-336).

"Health officer"

means the Riverside County Public Health Officer or his or her designee, who has been recognized by the city council as possessing the legal authority to act as the health officer pursuant to this title.

"Kennel"

means any building, structure, enclosure, or premises, whether residential or commercial where five or more dogs aged four months or older are kept, boarded, or maintained.

"Owner"

means any person who is the legal owner, keeper, harborer, possessor, or the actual custodian of any animal. Ownership also includes individuals claiming ownership and assuming care, whether or not documented, unless rebutted by evidence to the contrary.

"Service dog"

means any dog individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, including, but not limited to, minimal protection work, rescue work, pulling a wheelchair, or fetching dropped items.

"Signal dog"

means any dog trained to alert a deaf person, or a person whose hearing is impaired, to intruders or sounds.

"Unaltered and unspayed"

means a dog or cat, four months old or older, that has not been spayed or neutered. A condition that exists in an animal that permits the production of offspring.

"Unlicensed"

means any animal for which there is no valid or current city-issued license.

(Ord. 874 § 1, 1998; Ord. 1437, 12/11/2025)