As used in the Care and Disposition of Disaster Animals Act:
1. "Animal shelter" means a physical facility or entity, including those utilizing private homes, operating for the purpose of providing temporary or long-term animal shelter to lost, unwanted or abandoned animals, that is recognized and approved by the state or local authority;
2. "Approved website" means a website approved by the State Veterinarian;
3. "Class #1 Event" means a state-declared emergency for a county or portion of a county requiring companion animals' owners to leave their residences for more than twenty-four (24) hours;
4. "Class #2 Event" means a federally declared disaster requiring companion animals' owners to leave their residences for more than twenty-four (24) hours;
5. "Companion animals" means domesticated animals, such as a dog, cat, bird, rabbit, rodent or turtle, that are traditionally kept in the home for pleasure rather than for commercial purposes, can travel in commercial carriers and be housed in temporary facilities. Companion animals do not include reptiles other than turtles, amphibians, fish, insects, arachnids, farm animals including, but not limited to, horses, animals kept for racing purposes or animals held by a registered research facility under the federal Animal Welfare Act. Feral animals, animals covered by the federal Animal Welfare Act or by regulations issued under that act and any other animals held for use in or used in research are excluded from the Care and Disposition of Disaster Animals Act;
6. "Disaster animals" means domesticated companion animals that have become separated from an owner as the result of a Class #1 Event or Class #2 Event. Disaster animals include those found on private property or running at large, as well as owner-surrendered or relinquished companion animals. Feral animals are excluded from the Care and Disposition of Disaster Animals Act;
7. "Extension by contract" means extensions of the mandated holding period based upon an agreement between the owner and animal shelter for an additional time period;
8. "Feral animals" means animals that do not have an owner;
9. "Holding period" means the length of time that disaster animals are cared for by an animal shelter and not disposed of;
10. "Owner" means the person having title to companion animals;
11. "Reclaim" means the taking back of possession of disaster animals by the owner or an agent of the owner;
12. "Shelter animals" means companion animals living at an animal shelter before a Class #1 Event or Class #2 Event; and
13. "Tracking information" means available information about the owner, physical description and health history of the disaster animal, photographs of the disaster animal, information about where the disaster animal was found and transported to, recommended course of treatment and communications with an owner, including a holding period extension by contract.
Added by Laws 2015, c. 304, § 2, emerg. eff. May 12, 2015.