§ 3-701. Definitions.

[As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the respective meanings ascribed to them:]

Abandon means to completely forsake and desert an animal previously under the custody or possession of a person without making reasonable arrangements for its proper care, sustenance, and shelter for a period longer than 24 hours.

Animal means any living creature except human beings, including, but not limited to, mammals, and reptiles, except when referring specifically to the control of rabies when the word "animal" shall mean only mammals.

At large means an animal shall be deemed to be at large if off the premises of its owner or keeper or not under the immediate control of a responsible person.

Bite means any abrasion, puncture, tear or piercing of the skin actually or suspected of being caused by an animal.

Companion animals means an animal that is commonly considered a pet or is considered by the owner to be a pet. Companion animals include canines, felines and pot bellied pigs.

Court means the Abita Springs Municipal Court.

Dangerous animal means:

(a)

Any animal, that when unprovoked, approaches in a dangerous or terrorizing manner any person in an apparent attitude of attack when not on its owner's property.

(b)

Any animal with a known propensity, tendency or disposition to attack when unprovoked, to cause injury or to otherwise endanger the safety of human beings or domestic animals.

(c)

Any animal, which bites, inflicts injury, assaults or otherwise attacks a human being or domestic animal without provocation on public or private property.

(d)

Any animal owned or harbored primarily, or in part, for the purpose of dog fighting or any dog trained for dog fighting.

(e)

Any animal, which is deemed dangerous by an officer.

Department means the St. Tammany Parish Department of Animal Services or any agency appointed by the Town of Abita Springs.

Enclosure means a fence or structure of at least six feet in height, forming a pen suitable to prevent the unauthorized entry of human beings, and suitable to confine a dangerous/vicious animal. Such enclosures shall be securely closed and locked at all times and shall have secure sides. Such structures shall further have a secure bottom sufficient to prevent said animal from digging its way under and/or out of said enclosure. The enclosure shall be located in a secured fenced area so as to prevent any person, except under conditions supervised by the animal's owner, from gaining any contact with the said animal. The enclosure shall have adequate shelter for the animal consisting of at least a roof and three sides.

Euthanasia means the humane destruction of an animal accomplished by a method that involves instantaneous unconsciousness and immediate death or by a method that involves anesthesia, produced by an agent which produces painless loss of consciousness, and subsequent death during loss of such consciousness.

Exposed to rabies means an animal has been exposed to rabies if it has been bitten by a known rabid animal or it has been in contact with any animal known or suspected of being infected with rabies.

Farm animals means any live horse, cow, goat, pig, hog, sheep, llama, mule, ostrich or any animal characteristically found on a farm, excluding fowl.

Kennel means enclosed area that properly contains housing and exercise areas for the animal.

Officer means Abita Springs Police Officer and/or officers of designated and/or contracted agency or town marshal.

Owner means any person, partnership, business, corporation, firm, investment stock company, association or other legal entity owning, keeping or harboring any animal or having in his care an animal on or about his premises.

Pet means a domesticated animal kept for companionship rather than utility.

Premises means property where the animal lives and is cared for.

Vaccination means inoculation with a recognized anti-rabies vaccine, approved by the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals.

Vicious animal means any animal previously classified as dangerous by its actions or through evaluation by an officer or officers or their contract designee which subsequently attacks, causes injury, or otherwise exhibits a propensity to endanger the safety of human beings or domestic animals while outside the enclosure required for harboring the dangerous animal.

Wild or exotic animal means any live monkey, primate, raccoon, skunk, wolf, wolf-hybrid, squirrel, fox, fox-hybrid, coyote, coyote-hybrid, panther, tiger, lion, lynx or any other warm-blooded animal, bird, poisonous snake or spider, which can normally be found in the wild state, or any crocodilian including, but not limited to, alligators, crocodiles, caimans and gavials. Ferrets, nonpoisonous snakes with a length not greater than six feet, rabbits, rodents and birds which have been bred and raised in captivity and which have never known the wild shall be excluded from this definition.

Yard means a fence or structure of at least six feet in height, forming a pen suitable to prevent the unauthorized entry of human beings, and suitable to confine a dangerous/vicious animal. Such enclosures shall be securely closed and locked at all times and shall have secure sides. Such structures shall further have a secure bottom sufficient to prevent said animal from digging its way under and/or out of the said enclosure. The enclosure shall be located in a secure fenced area so as to prevent any person, except under conditions supervised by the animal's owner, from gaining any contact with the said animal. The enclosure shall have adequate shelter for the animal consisting of at least a roof and three sides.

(Ord. No. 181, 3-21-95; Ord. No. 307, 8-15-06; Ord. No. 384, 5-17-2011)