The following words and terms, when used in this chapter, shall have the following meanings, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

1. (1) Animal--Any mammal, domesticated or wild.

2. (2) Assistance dog--A dog that is specially trained or equipped to help a person with a physical challenge and that:

   1. (A) is used by a person with a physical challenge who has satisfactorily completed a specific course of training in the use of the dog; and
   2. (B) has been trained by an organization generally recognized by agencies involved in the rehabilitation of persons with a physical challenge as reputable and competent to provide dogs with training of this type.
3. (3) Cat--Any Felis catus.

4. (4) Currently vaccinated--Vaccinated and satisfying the following criteria.

   1. (A) The animal must have been vaccinated against rabies as prescribed by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).
   2. (B) At least 30 days have elapsed since the initial vaccination.
   3. (C) Not more than 12 months have elapsed since the most recent vaccination.
5. (5) Custodian--A person or agency which feeds, shelters, harbors, has possession or control, or has the responsibility to control an animal.
6. (6) Department--The Texas Department of Health (TDH).
7. (7) Dog--Any Canis familiaris, including hybrids.
8. (8) Domestic animal--Any animal normally adapted to live in intimate association with humans or for the advantage of humans.
9. (9) Domestic dog--Any Canis familiaris, excluding hybrids.
10. (10) Domestic ferret--Any Mustela putorius furo.
11. (11) High risk animals--Those animals which have a high probability of transmitting rabies; they include skunks, bats, species of foxes indigenous to North America, coyotes, and raccoons.
12. (12) Housing facility--Any room, building, or area used to contain a primary enclosure or enclosures.

13. (13) Humanely killed--To cause the death of an animal by a method which:

    1. (A) rapidly produces unconsciousness and death without visible evidence of pain or distress; or
    2. (B) utilizes anesthesia produced by an agent which causes painless loss of consciousness, and death following such loss of consciousness.
14. (14) Hybrid--Any offspring of two animals of different species.
15. (15) Impoundment--The collecting and confining of an animal because of a state or local ordinance.
16. (16) Isolation--The separation of an animal exposed or potentially exposed to rabies.
17. (17) Local rabies control authority--The officer designated by the municipal or county governing body under the Texas Health and Safety Code, Chapter 826.
18. (18) Low risk animals--Those which have a low probability of transmitting rabies; they include all animals of the orders Marsupialia, Insectivora, Rodentia, Lagomorpha, and Xenarthra.
19. (19) Observation period--The time following a bite incident during which the biting animal's health status must be monitored. The observation period for domestic dogs, cats, and domestic ferrets (only) is 10 days (240 hours); the observation period for other animals, not including those defined as high risk or low risk, is 30 days.
20. (20) Police dog--Domestic dog that is owned or employed by a governmental law enforcement agency.
21. (21) Primary enclosure--Any structure used to immediately restrict an animal or animals to a limited amount of space, such as a room, pen, run, cage, compartment, or hutch.
22. (22) Public health region--A contiguous group of Texas counties, so designated by the board.
23. (23) Quarantine facility--A structure where animals are held for rabies observation.
24. (24) Quarantine period--That portion of the observation period during which a biting animal is physically confined for observation as provided for in §169.27 of this title (relating to Quarantine Method and Testing).
25. (25) Sanitize--To make physically clean and to destroy disease-producing agents.
26. (26) Therapy dog--A dog that helps a person with a diagnosed emotional disorder for whom a letter has been issued by a physician stating that the removal of the animal would be detrimental to the person's emotional health.
27. (27) Unowned animal--Any animal for which an owner has not been identified.
28. (28) Vaccinated--Properly injected by a licensed veterinarian with a rabies vaccine licensed for use in that species by the United States Department of Agriculture.
29. (29) Zoonosis Control Division (ZCD)--The division within the Texas Department of Health to which the responsibility for implementing these rules is assigned.
30. (30) Zoonosis control representative--Any person employed by the ZCD.

Source Note:The provisions of this §169.22 adopted to be effective April 1, 1980, 5 TexReg 812; amended to be effective March 29, 1988, 13 TexReg 1337; amended to be effective February 22, 1993, 18 TexReg 845; amended to be effective February 21, 1996, 21 TexReg 963; amended to be effective August 21, 1996, 21 TexReg 7660; amended to be effective July 12, 1998, 23 TexReg 7224.