§ 6-1. Definitions.

When used in this chapter, the following words and terms, unless the context indicates a different meaning, shall be interpreted as follows:

Abandon: Shall mean to abandon, dump, desert, strand, or leave any animal in the person's custody on/in public or private property without making reasonable arrangements for assumption of custody by another person; it shall also mean failing to properly redeem any animal impounded or quarantined by the city.

Adoption: The transfer of ownership from the city to a person or organization deemed suitable for the care, custody, and control of an animal.

Animal: Any living, nonhuman creature, including but not limited to any stray or feral cat or dog or wild living creature.

Animal services manager: The supervisor of animal services, or the supervisor's designee, who meets all the requirements of an animal services officer.

Animal services officer: Enforcement officer for animal care and control within the city who meets all the requirements to be an animal control officer as defined and described in the V.T.C.A., Health and Safety Code chapter 829.

Animal services: The city operated division for impounding and caring for animals held under the authority of this chapter.

At large: An owned animal not kept within an enclosure or fenced area or restrained by a leash of sufficient strength and length to control the actions of said animal.

Cat: Animal of the feline species, both male and female.

Chief of police: The chief of police of the City of Grapevine.

Circus: For the purposes of this chapter, a commercial variety show featuring animal acts for public entertainment.

City: The City of Grapevine, Texas.

Commercial animal establishment: Any pet shop, animal auction, riding school or stable, zoological park, circus, recurring animal exhibition or commercial kennel.

Commercial kennel: Any premises wherein any person engages in the business of boarding, breeding, buying, letting for hire, training for a fee or selling dogs and cats.

Dangerous dog: A dog that:

(1)

Commits unprovoked acts, in a place other than an enclosure in which the dog was being kept and which was reasonably certain to prevent the dog from leaving on its own, and those acts cause a person to reasonably believe that the dog will attack and cause bodily injury to that person; or

(2)

Makes an unprovoked attack on a person, domestic animal, or livestock that causes bodily injury and occurs in a place other than an enclosure in which the dog was being kept and which was reasonably certain to prevent the dog from leaving on its own; or

(3)

Is suspected of being a dangerous dog, if the owner, keeper or harborer of such dog fails or refuses to make such dog available for inspection by an animal services officer.

Provided, however, the term dangerous dog shall not mean a dog accused of any behavior described in this definition that occurs as a result of a trespass upon the property of the owner or harborer of the accused dog.

Department: The Grapevine Police Department.

Dog: Animal of the canine species, both male and female.

Domestic animal: Includes all species of animals commonly and universally accepted as being domesticated.

Estray: Any stray livestock.

Fee schedule: A list of fees associated with the services provided by animal services. This includes, but is not limited to, adoption fees, owner reclaim fees, and quarantine fees.

Fowl: A bird of the order Galiformes, which can be used as food. This term includes but is not limited to the common domesticated chicken, duck, geese, turkey, quail, dove, and pheasant.

Harbor: The act of keeping and caring for an animal or of providing a premises to which the animal returns for food, shelter or care for a period of at least three days.

Harborer: One who harbors an animal.

Known propensity: Any animal with a natural inclination, tendency or disposition.

Local rabies control authority: The animal services manager is hereby designated as the local rabies control authority in accordance with requirements listed in the Texas Health and Safety Code. In the absence of the animal services manager, the officer temporarily serving in that capacity shall assume the duties and responsibilities of the local rabies control authority.

Livestock: Any farm animal regarded as an asset, including cattle, horses, mules, asses, sheep, goats, llamas, alpacas, and exotic livestock as defined by V.T.C.A., Agriculture Code § 142.001, as amended, including elk and elk hybrids, and hogs.

Microchip: A passive electronic device that is injected into an animal, subcutaneously, by means of a hypodermic type syringe device which contains a unique and original number that is read by an electronic scanning device for purposes of identification and recovery by the animal's owner or harborer.

Municipal court or court: The municipal court of the City of Grapevine, Texas.

Off-leash dog park: The confines of a fenced recreation area that is owned or operated by the City of Grapevine and designated as an area for off-leash canines.

Owned: Having ownership or custody or control of or harboring or keeping an animal.

Owner: Any person owning, keeping or having custody or control of, or who has right of property in, an animal.

Pet animals: Any animal kept for pleasure rather than utility and shall include dogs, cats, rabbits, rodents, birds, reptiles and any other species of animal which is sold or retained as household pets, but shall not include skunks, nonhuman primates, and any other species of wild, exotic or carnivorous animal that may be further restricted in this chapter.

Pet shop: Any establishment owned and operated by a person, corporation or association, whether operated separately or in connection with another business enterprise, except for a commercial kennel, that buys, sells, boards or grooms any species of animal.

Stray animal: Any unowned animal, for which there is no identifiable owner or harborer, which is found to be at large within the incorporated limits of the city.

Unprovoked conduct: Means conduct that is not:

(1)

In response to being tormented, abused, or assaulted by any other person or animal; or

(2)

In response to pain or injury; or

(3)

In protection of itself, its food, kennel, immediate territory, or nursing offspring.

Wild animal: Includes all species of animals which exist in a natural, unconfined state and are usually undomesticated.

Zoological park: Any facility, other than a pet shop or kennel, displaying or exhibiting one or more species of non-domesticated animals, operated by a person, partnership, corporation or government agency.

(Ord. No. 2018-001, § 2, 11-6-18)