8.01.020 Definitions.
As used in this title:
(1) “Adult dog” means any member of the canine family past the age of six (6) months or which has acquired a permanent set of canine teeth.
(2) “Adult cat” means any member of the feline family past the age of six (6) months or which has acquired a permanent set of canine teeth.
(3) “Advisory board” means the animal protection and control advisory board created by Section 8.01.030.
(4) “Agent” means any public or private establishment authorized by Clark County animal protection and control to issue pet licenses.
(5) “Animal” means any member of the classes: reptile, bird or mammal, except man.
(6) “Animal control program” means the Clark County animal protection and control program created by Section 8.01.040 to administer and enforce the provisions of this title and the laws of the state of Washington as they pertain to animal control and welfare. The term shall include such program’s duly authorized officers, employees and agents.
(7) “Animal control officer” means any employee of the animal control program, and deputized by the Clark County sheriff for the limited purpose of enforcing this title and the laws of the state of Washington as they pertain to animal control and welfare.
(8) “Animal day use facility” means any premises used to conduct a daytime-only business with hours of operation from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. that involves domestic animals as defined in this section, including but not limited to breeding, training, grooming and day care.
(9) “Animal shelter” means a facility which is used to house or contain stray, homeless, abandoned or unwanted animals, and which is owned, operated or maintained by a public body, an established humane society, animal welfare society, society for the prevention of cruelty to animals, or other nonprofit organization devoted to the welfare, protection, and humane treatment of animals.
(10) “Board” means the board of county councilors of Clark County.
(11) “Community cat program” means a program sponsored by the animal control department or its designated agent, pursuant to which feral and community cats are sterilized, vaccinated against rabies, ear-tipped, and returned to the location where they congregate.
(12) “County” means the unincorporated area of Clark County, Washington.
(13) “Domestic animal” or “pet” means any animal, other than livestock, which lives and breeds in a tame condition. This generally refers to dogs, cats and some birds.
(14) “Facility” means any premises used to conduct an animal shelter or animal-related business such as grooming, breeding, boarding, sale or training of domestic, exotic and/or guard animals, but excluding animal hospitals or clinics where animals are kept only for treatment by licensed veterinarians.
(15) “Feral” means any animal, normally classified as domestic, which has escaped domestication and become wild.
(16) “Food and Drug Administration” or “FDA” means the Food and Drug Administration of the Federal Health and Human Services Agency.
(17) “Grooming parlor” means any establishment where animals are bathed, clipped or combed for a valuable consideration for the purpose of enhancing their aesthetic value.
(18) “Hybrid animal” is a cross between a wild animal and domestic or subspecies animal. For the purpose of this chapter, a hybrid animal which has not been certified as effectively vaccinated for rabies by a veterinarian licensed in the state of Washington will be considered a wild animal.
(19) “Kennel” means either:
(a) Any premises used to conduct a commercial business involving the buying, selling, breeding for sale, letting for hire, boarding or training of dogs; or
(b) Any premises outside the urban growth boundary at which more than nine (9) adult dogs are kept for any purpose, including animal shelters, but excluding animal hospitals or clinics where animals are kept only for treatment by licensed veterinarians; or
(c) Any premises inside the urban growth boundary at which more than five (5) adult dogs are kept for any purpose, including animal shelters, but excluding animal hospitals or clinics where animals are kept only for treatment by licensed veterinarians; or
(d) Any premises where offspring puppies or adult dogs are sold to commercial outlets or are sold for research or experimental purposes; or
(e) Any premises where offspring from three (3) or more litters per twelve (12) month period are sold or traded, exchanged or bartered for a valuable consideration or joint ownership purpose; or
(f) Any premises used as the location for the training of dogs for obedience, hunting, protection, etc., (if the address is different from the office address), or the premises are used as a combination office/training location, except if the training site is property belonging to a recognized school district, municipal body or not-for-profit organization.
(20) “Lawful” in regard to herding, hunting, competition or training means to be engaged in such activity on the property of another by permission, or on public land that is set aside and/or open for such use.
(21) “Leash” means a cord, thong, or chain not more than nine (9) feet in length by which an animal is physically controlled by the person accompanying it.
(22) “License tag” or “tag” means a prenumbered identification license sold to an owner/custodian for a specific pet animal. Rabies identification or other identification may not be substituted or accepted in lieu of a license tag.
(23) “Livestock” means any equine, mule, burro, dairy or beef cattle, llama, goat, sheep, swine, rabbit, domesticated hare, donkey, camelid and poultry.
(24) “Owner” means any person possessing, harboring, keeping, having an interest in, or any person having control or custody of an animal. In a household setting, the owner is presumed to be the head of the household.
(25) “Pack of dogs” means a group of three (3) or more dogs running upon lands, either public or private, not that of their owner, when such dogs are not restrained or under control.
(26) “Person” means any individual, partnership, corporation or other legal entity.
(27) “Pet shop” means an establishment where animals bred elsewhere are offered for sale to the public.
(28) “Police dog” shall have the meaning prescribed by RCW 4.24.410.
(29) “Poultry” means all domesticated fowl and all game birds which are legally held in captivity.
(30) “Running at large” means an animal is off or outside of the premises from which the keeper of the dog may lawfully exclude others or is not in the company of and under the physical control of its keeper by leash, cord, chain, rope, cage or other suitable means of physical restraint. There is a rebuttable presumption that the animal has not been under control if injury, property damage or trespassing has occurred.
(31) “Service animal” shall have the meaning prescribed by RCW 49.60.218(3)(a).
(32) “Stray” means any animal captured, impounded, or in the custody of animal control, its employees or agents, or at an area authorized by animal control to care for and keep custody of animals.
(33) “Under control” means the voice, signal or physical control so as to be restrained from approaching a bystander, from entering private property, and from causing damage to property. An animal is presumed not to have been under control if injury, damage or trespass has occurred.
(34) “Vicious behavior” means showing a propensity without sufficient provocation to do any act which endangers the safety of persons, animals or property.
(35) “Wild animal” means any animal, except livestock and domesticated animals, which due to its size, habits, natural propensities, training or instinct presents a danger or potential danger to human beings, animals or property. Also means any living vertebrate animal normally found in the wild state and for which there is no FDA-approved anti-rabies vaccination. (Sec. 1 of Res. 1981-04-108; amended by Sec. 2 of Res. 1984-12-65; amended by Sec. 1 of Ord. 1985-12-06; amended by Sec. 1 of Ord. 1986-10-49; amended by Sec. 1 of Ord. 1987-11-37; amended by Sec. 2 of Ord. 1993-08-13A; amended by Sec. 1 (Att. A) of Ord. 2009-03-02; amended by Sec. 1 (Att. A) of Ord. 2009-07-01; amended by Sec. 1 (Att. A) of Ord. 2012-02-03; amended by Sec. 1 of Ord. 2012-05-22; amended by Sec. 1 of Ord. 2016-11-13; amended by Sec. 1 of Ord. 2018-04-10; amended by Sec. 21 of Ord. 2024-03-01)