Ventura County Municipal Code Art. 6 General

It shall be the duty of the Director to keep or cause to be kept, accurate and detailed records of:

(a) All licensed animals;

(b) All impounded animals;

(c) All animal bite cases reported and the results of the investigations thereof;

(d) All moneys received.

Said records shall be open to inspection by the public at all reasonable times; however confidential personal contact information, information regarding complainants, and other confidential and/or privileged information may be redacted from public inspection.

(Ord. No. 4457, § 1, 12-10-2013; Ord. No. 4587, § 1, 10-19-2021)

For the purposes of this Chapter, unless the context otherwise requires:

(a) The term "Division" means the Animal Services Division of the County of Ventura.

(b) The term "animal shelter" means any animal shelter, temporary animal shelter or animal services vehicle owned or operated by the County of Ventura.

(c) Reserved.

(d) The term "County Health Officer" means the Ventura County Health Officer and any duly appointed deputy thereof including the Animal Services Director and his or her deputies.

(d) A dog "runs at large" when it is upon private property without the permission of the person owning or occupying the property, or when it is upon public property, or a common area, and is not upon a leash.

(f) A person "harbors" an animal when he or she feeds or shelters the animal.

(g) A person is the "owner" of an animal when he or she has legal title to the animal, has the legal right to possession and use of the animal within the meaning of Civil Code Section 654, or is deemed to be the owner in accordance with Section 4468-1, subdivision (c), because that person has been the finder and keeper of a stray domestic animal that has not been claimed within thirty (30) days.

(h) The term "livestock" includes animals, including but not limited to fowl, horses, mules, burros, asses, cattle, sheep, goats, llamas, emu, ostriches, swine or other farm animals, excluding dogs and cats.

(i) Livestock "runs at large" when upon property without the permission of the person owning or occupying the property, or when upon public property and not under the immediate control of a responsible person capable of controlling such animal.

(j) The term "Director" means the Director of the Division.

(k) The term "peace officer" means a Peace Officer as that term is defined in Penal Code Section 830.1.

(Ord. No. 4457, § 1, 12-10-2013; Ord. No. 4564, § 2, 4-21-2020; Ord. No. 4587, § 1, 10-19-2021)

In any prosecution for a violation of any provision of this Chapter, the burden of producing evidence to establish any of the exemptions provided herein shall, in the first instance, be upon the defendant.

(Ord. No. 4457, § 1, 12-10-2013; Ord. No. 4587, § 1, 10-19-2021)

In addition to such other authority as may be provided by law, the Director, and Animal Control Officers as defined in Section 4493-2, are hereby designated as public officers and employees and are authorized to make arrests according to Penal Code Section 836.5 for the purpose of enforcing and carrying out provisions of this Chapter. The Director, and such Animal Control Officers that the Director may designate, are further authorized to carry and use weapons and tranquilizer equipment issued by the Division while actually engaged in the performance of their duties.

(Ord. No. 4457, § 1, 12-10-2013; Ord. No. 4587, § 1, 10-19-2021)

If any part of this Chapter is found to be unconstitutional or invalid, the Board of Supervisors hereby declares that it would have enacted the remainder of this Chapter regardless of the absence of any such invalid part.

(Ord. No. 4457, § 1, 12-10-2013; Ord. No. 4587, § 1, 10-19-2021)

The Board of Supervisors may, by resolution, establish rates and fees for services rendered by the Division for which no rate or fee is designated in this Code.

(Ord. No. 4457, § 1, 12-10-2013; Ord. No. 4587, § 1, 10-19-2021)