N.M. Code R. § 7.4.2.7 – Definitions

A. “Animal” means any vertebrate member of the animal kingdom excluding man.
B. “Animal destroyed” means the administration of an agent which shall cause the death of an animal. Such method shall not destroy brain tissue necessary for laboratory examination for rabies.
C. “Bite” means the puncture or tear of the skin inflicted by the teeth of an animal.
D. “Confined” means restriction of an animal at all times by an owner or keeper to an escape proof building or other enclosure away from other animals and the public.
E. “Department” means the department of health of the state of New Mexico.
F. “District health officer” means the person designated by the director of the public health division to be responsible for district health operations in a district organized by the public health division.
G. “Division” means the office of epidemiology of the department of health of the state of New Mexico.
H. “Exposure to rabies” means the exposure resulting from a bite by an animal susceptible to rabies or from contact of the saliva of such animal with any break or abrasion of the skin.
I. “Field health office” means the health office(s) located in each county and administered by the public health division of the department of health.
J. “Impounding facilities” means any animal control center, pound, animal shelter, kennel, veterinary hospital, lot premise or building maintained or contracted by a municipality or county for the care and custody of animals.
K. “Isolation” means the confinement of an animal in an escape proof run or cage so that there is no possibility of direct contact with other animals or humans.
L. “Laboratory” means the scientific laboratory division (SLD) of the New Mexico department of health, 700 Camino de Salud, Albuquerque, New Mexico, 87106.
M. “Livestock” means all domestic animals of the following genera: equine, bovine, ovine, caprine and porcine.
N. “Owner” means a person who owns, harbors, keeps, or knowingly permits an animal to be harbored or kept, or permits an animal to remain on his premises.
O. “Person” means any individual, household, firm, partnership, corporation, society, association and every officer, agent or employee thereof.
P. “Premises” means any parcel of land and structure(s) thereon.
Q. “Quarantine” means the strict containment of all animals specified in the order of the district health officer upon the private premises of the owner, or under restraint by leash, or within a closed cage or paddock and shall include other measures ordered by the district health officer to control the spread of rabies.
R. “Running at large” means to be free of physical restraint beyond the premises of the owner or keeper.
S. “Stray animal” means any animal running at large.
T. “Vaccination against rabies” means the injection of an approved rabies vaccine by or under the supervision of a licensed veterinarian.
U. “Veterinarian” means a person with a doctor of veterinary medicine degree licensed to practice veterinary medicine in the state of New Mexico.
V. “Vicious animal” means any animal which at any time without provocation shall bite, attack or injure any person who was peacefully conducting himself where he lawfully may be.
[8/27/79; 10/31/96; 7.4.2.7 NMAC - Rn & A, 7 NMAC 4.2.7, 5/30/2003]