Appendix A. STANDARDS FOR PRIMARY AND SECONDARY ENCLOSURES OF WILD OR VICIOUS ANIMALS

This appendix specified minimum standards for the construction of primary and secondary enclosures which are to be used to keep, harbor or restrain wild or vicious animals. If, because of the breeding, history, character, or other particular trait, it is the opinion of the animal control officer that these standards are insufficient to restrain any wild or vicious animal, he shall report such findings to the sheriff and county manager and issue no permits until standards sufficient to restrain the animal are developed and adopted by the county commissioners.

1.

Primary enclosures used to keep, harbor, or restrain the following animals shall be constructed with the materials and in the manner specified:

a.

Cheetah, lion, tiger and hybrids thereof. Animals in this category shall be housed within a primary enclosure which has at a minimum, 600 square feet per animal. There shall be no more than one male and two females in any one primary enclosure. There shall be no common fences between enclosures housing tigers and any other animals. If adult male animals are placed in adjacent enclosures these enclosures shall be constructed of no smaller than nine gauge steel chainlink fence, doubled, and spaced so as to prohibit physical contact between two males. All enclosures shall have double safety doors.

The enclosure shall be constructed of not less than nine gauge steel chainlink fence attached to not smaller than 2½-inch diameter, schedule 40 steel poles place at least 30 inches in the ground and anchored in 30 inches of concrete, and of sufficient length to extend to the top of the fence, and shall be placed no more than ten feet apart. Enclosures with roofs shall have sides a minimum of eight feet high, and enclosures without roofs shall have sides at least 12 feet high. Roofs of enclosures shall be constructed of the same material as the sides, and be firmly attached to the sides with no gaps.

b.

Leopards, mountain lions and hybrids thereof. Animals in this category shall be housed in enclosures meeting all requirements set out in this subsection for tigers and in addition thereto, the enclosures shall have a roof constructed of at least nine gauge steel chainlink fencing, attached firmly to the sides with no gaps.

c.

Jaguars. Jaguars of any species shall be housed in enclosures constructed to the same standards as those required for leopards, except that the fencing shall consist of not smaller than six gauge steel chainlink fencing for the sides and roof; however, the roof may consist of nine gauge steel chainlink fencing provided the sides are at least ten feet high. The fencing shall be firmly secured to vertical and horizontal piping or rods, and must be firmly secured at three-inch intervals to the bottom horizontal crossbar which shall be no more than three inches above the floor.

d.

Caracal, bobcat, lynx, ocelot, serval and hybrids thereof. Animals in this category shall be housed in enclosures completely enclosed with a minimum of 80 square feet for each animal, and of a minimum height of eight feet. Walls and roof tops of cages shall be constructed of no smaller than 11½-gauge steel chainlink fencing secured to steel poles not smaller than 1½-inch diameter and placed at least 30 inches in the ground in 30 inches of concrete not more than ten feet apart. Enclosures shall have double safety doors.

e.

Bears. Large bears are considered to be among the more dangerous as well as the more escape prone of all animals. Bears shall be housed in primary enclosures with at least 600 square feet per animal. There shall be not more than one male and one female per primary enclosure. The primary enclosure shall be constructed of solid steel bars at least three-fourths inch in diameter, anchored in the ground at least 30 inches and in 30 inches of concrete. Such enclosures shall be at least ten feet high and shall have a top or roof constructed of the same material as the sides and firmly attached thereto with no gaps therein. All such enclosures shall have a cross weld at least every four inches, and shall have a floor of concrete, covered with plywood or earth sufficiently to protect the animals housed therein.

2.

Secondary enclosures. The purpose of a secondary enclosure is to serve as a perimeter fence surrounding all primary enclosures, in order to protect the public by prevention of escape by an animal accidentally freed from its primary enclosures.

a.

Secondary enclosures shall be constructed of not smaller than 11½-gauge steel chain link fencing at least 12 feet in height and shall encompass all primary enclosures. The fencing shall be attached to steel poles not smaller than 2½-inch diameter and set in 30 inches of concrete, or cedar or creosote posts of equivalent strength. All posts shall be placed at least 30 inches in the ground and be spaced not more than 15 feet apart. Secondary enclosures shall not have any common wall with any primary enclosure, and all such enclosures shall be continuously electrified. Any secondary enclosure surrounding enclosures of animals capable of fence climbing shall be electrified at the bottom and middle, and shall also have an electrified overhand to prevent climbing. Secondary enclosures housing digging animals such as hyenas, wild dogs, and bears shall be so constructed as to be tunnel proof. The strength of the secondary enclosure shall be appropriate to the animals enclosed as well as to the conditions and shall be so constructed that no single foreseeable event can jeopardize the structural integrity of both the primary and secondary enclosure. All enclosures shall have double safety doors, each of which shall be secured by a lock. All such enclosures shall be located a sufficient distance from the primary enclosure and from all other structures, rocks, trees or terrain features that no such primary enclosures, structure, rock, tree, or terrain feature may be used as a leaping platform.

In the event that cedar or creosote posts are used for line posts, all corner posts and posts at sharp angles shall be of steel and at least four inches in diameter, and all posts other than corner or angle posts shall be located on the outside of the fencing. In the event that cedar or creosote posts are used, they shall be replaced with steel posts at least 2½ inches in diameter, schedule 40 when replacement is needed, or within six years, whichever is earlier.

3.

No variations from these standards shall be made by the animal control officer.

4.

No wild or vicious animal for which there appears no standard for construction of primary enclosures in this appendix shall be brought into the county.

5.

All primary and secondary enclosures shall be so designed and constructed that no single foreseeable event or series of events shall break the structural integrity of the primary and secondary enclosures.

(Ord. of 6-20-1983, App. A)