§ 6-1. Definitions.

The following words, terms and phrases, when used in this chapter, shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning:

Attack means dangerous behavior toward any person or other domesticated animal resulting in physical injury.

Bite means a puncture, tear or indentation of the skin inflicted by the teeth of an animal.

Dangerous animal means any animal that, without justification, attacks a person or another domestic animal causing physical injury or death, or behaves in a manner that a reasonable person would believe poses an unjustified imminent threat of serious injury or death to one or more persons or domestic animals and livestock. In the case of the animal being a dog, the dog's breed shall not be the sole consideration in determining whether or not it is dangerous.

Designated voice and sight control area means areas appropriately posted after designation by regulation of the parks division to be a voice and sight control area for dogs.

Designated dog-training zone means any area appropriately posted after designation by regulation of the parks division to be a dog-training zone.

Dog pack means three or more dogs running together.

Dog park means any fenced off-leash dog play area designated by parks for that purpose.

Domestic or pet animal means any animal commonly kept as a pet in family households in the United States, and any animals commonly kept for companion or commercial purposes or protection or for sale to others for such purposes including, but not limited to dogs, cats, rabbits, rodents, birds, reptiles, fish, and any other species of animals that are sold retained as a household pet but shall not include skunks, and any other species of wild or exotic animal that may be further restricted by law.

Exotic animal means an animal which is rare or different from ordinary domesticated animals and is not indigenous to the state and is not commonly found in pet stores.

Keeper means the owner or any person who keeps or has control or custody of an animal for more than six days, provided that this term shall not apply to veterinarians or kennel owners temporarily maintaining on their premises animals owned by others.

Livestock means animals defined as livestock by the New Mexico Livestock Board.

Menace means the actions of a dog, not on the property of its keeper or person having charge of the dog, that is unprovoked, hostile or dangerous behavior toward a person or a domestic animal by growling, barking or doing some other act likely to cause fear in the person of bodily harm to the person or that person's domestic animal.

Quarantine means to detain or isolate an animal suspected of being infected with rabies.

Stray means any animal without an identifiable keeper.

Unattended dog means not in the physical presence and within sight of a keeper who shall be a person of such age and maturity to be reasonably responsible therefor. An owner or keeper inside an enclosed structure shall not be considered to be in the physical presence of a dog not in the enclosed structure.

Voice and sight control means the keeper has the ability to control the dog by voice command and the dog must respond immediately to that command. Further, the dog must remain within sight of the keeper. Even in designated voice and sight control areas in Los Alamos, the dog must be on a leash unless it meets the requirements of voice and sight control.

Wild animal means any animal that is wild by nature and cannot normally be domesticated or controlled; including any animal regulated by the New Mexico Department of Game, the United States Fish and Wildlife, and/or the USDA.

Working dog means any dog, regardless of breed, that is being trained or used for the purpose of guarding, herding detection, search and rescue, dog sports, assistance of people as service dogs, or assistance of the police.

(Ord. No. 02-076, § 1, 4-25-2006; Ord. No. 02-247, § 1, 9-30-2014)

Cross reference

Definitions, § 1-2.