Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-azd-3_07-cv-08029/USCOURTS-azd-3_07-cv-08029-2/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 440
Nature of Suit: Other Civil Rights
Cause of Action: 42:1983 Civil Rights Act

---

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

WO

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE DISTRICT OF ARIZONA

Carole Saunders, 

Plaintiff, 

vs.

Richard Silva and Connie Lynn Silva,

Defendants. 

)

)

)

)

)

)

)

)

)

)

)

No. CV 07-8029-PCT-EHC

ORDER

The parties have argued that Defendant Richard Silva was an Animal Control Officer

in Yavapai County. (Doc. 100.) At trial, Judge Blaylock testified that Silva was a County

Enforcement Agent. (Trial Tr. vol. II, 282:24-25, Aug. 11, 2010.) 

The Court orders that each party submit a memorandum concerning the statutes or

ordinances under which Defendant Silva acted, taking into account A.R.S. § 11-1001(4);

A.R.S. § 11-1005(a)(1)-(6); A.R.S. § 11-1007; A.R.S. § 9-499.04; Yavapai County

Ordinance No. 2000-3, "Rabies and Animal Control," adopted by the Yavapai County Board

of Supervisors on September 5, 2000, which is attached, and any other relevant authority. 

Accordingly,

IT IS ORDERED that each party file a memorandum addressing these issues by

November 10, 2010. 

DATED this 18th day of October, 2010.

Case 3:07-cv-08029-ROS Document 171 Filed 10/18/10 Page 1 of 5
YAVAPAI COUNTY ORDINANCE NO. 2000 – 3 

RABIES AND ANIMAL CONTROL 

Repealing Yavapai County Ordinance No. 1991-2 

A. DEFINITIONS 

1. “AT LARGE” means being neither confined by a suitable enclosure nor 

physically restrained on a leash. 

2. “ENFORCEMENT AGENT” means persons in Yavapai County 

responsible for the enforcement of this Ordinance and the regulations 

promulgated thereunder. 

3. “OWNER” means any person owning, possessing, harboring or 

maintaining a dog, or any persons acting for the owner, or having charge 

of a dog. 

4. “DOG” means member of the familiaris and domesticated wolves and 

offspring of dogs cross-bred with wild animals or domesticated wolves. 

5. “DOG PARK” means a suitably enclosed and supervised area designated 

by the County or any city or town within which dogs are not required to be 

leashed or otherwise subject to physical restraint. 

B. GENERAL PROVISIONS 

1. This Ordinance shall not apply to any incorporated city or town or to any 

Indian Reservation but shall apply only within the unincorporated areas of 

Yavapai County. The provisions of State law shall apply in those 

instances where this Ordinance is not equal to or more stringent than State 

law. 

2. No dog shall be permitted at large except as provided herein. Dogs shall 

be confined within a suitable enclosure or otherwise physically restrained 

to prevent entry of dogs on public or private property other than the 

owner’s or on a leash not to exceed six (6) feet in length and of sufficient 

strength to control the dog. 

3. Any dog over the age of four (4) months shall wear a collar or harness to 

which is attached a valid license tag. Dogs shall not be required to wear a 

collar or harness with a valid license attached while being used for control 

of livestock, or while being used or trained for hunting, while being 

exhibited or trained at a kennel club event, while engaged in races 

Case 3:07-cv-08029-ROS Document 171 Filed 10/18/10 Page 2 of 5
approved by the Arizona Racing Commission or while being transported 

to and from such events or races provided that they are properly 

vaccinated, licensed and controlled. In the event the owner can 

demonstrate that no approved vaccination is available a license which 

shall be different from a rabies tag is required. 

4. It shall be unlawful for an owner or designated responsible person to 

maintain a dog having a propensity to bark, howl or otherwise disturb the 

peace and quiet of any county resident. The enforcement agency shall 

make every effort, including canvassing of affected neighbors, to ensure 

that unwarranted citations are not issued. 

C. ENFORCEMENT 

1. Any dog, licensed or unlicensed, which is running at large may be 

apprehended and impounded by the County enforcement agent. The 

County enforcement agent shall have the right to enter upon private 

property in order to apprehend any dog that has been running at large, 

provided the enforcement agent is in reasonable pursuit of such dog. 

2. County enforcement agents and law enforcement officials may issue 

citations to the owner, or other person acting for the owner, when a dog is 

permitted to be at large. The procedure for the issuance of a notice to 

appear shall be as provided for peace officers in A.R.S. § 13-3903 except 

that the County enforcement officer shall not make an arrest before issuing 

the notice. The issuance of citations pursuant to this Ordinance shall be 

subject to the provisions of A.R.S. § 13-3899. 

3. Pursuant to A.R.S. § 11-1015, it is unlawful for any person to interfere 

with the County enforcement agent in the performance of his duties. 

D. EXEMPTIONS 

1. A dog may run at large while participating in field trials, obedience 

classes, kennel club events, organized school or park-sponsored shows, 

while assisting its owner or trained in legal hunting or in herding 

livestock, while assisting a police officer engaged in law enforcement 

duties, or while assisting its blind or deaf master, so long as sufficient 

control is exercised permit immediate leashing of the dog upon any 

person’s reasonable request. 

2. Dogs are allowed to occupy vehicles, including truck beds, without 

restraint, but as soon as a dog leaves a truck bed, it is considered to be at 

large. 

Case 3:07-cv-08029-ROS Document 171 Filed 10/18/10 Page 3 of 5
E. SPECIAL EXEMPTION FOR DOG PARKS 

1. Upon written application by the County, or by any city or town, the Board 

of Supervisors may permit dogs to run without restraint within the 

enclosed area of a designated Dog Park subject to the condition that the 

dog’s owner must remain within the enclosed area of the Dog park and 

exercise appropriate supervision and control at all times that a dog is 

allowed to run without restraint. 

2. Applications for of a special exemption for a Dog Park shall be 

accompanied by a Development Plan to include a map and legal 

description of the proposed Dog Park, construction plans for all 

improvements to be made on the premises, procedures for maintaining the 

premises in a sanitary condition and a plan for staffing and supervision of 

the Dog Park. 

3. As a condition of approval of a special exemption for a Dog Park, the 

applicant shall obtain a premises liability insurance policy, in a form 

acceptable to the County, with a minimum annual aggregate policy limit 

as specified by the County which shall name the County as a primary or 

additional insured. The policy shall protect the County from any and all 

lawsuits, claims, awards or other losses, including reasonable attorney fees 

arising from the operation of the Dog Park. On or before the effective 

date of the special exemption, the applicant shall provide to the County a 

certificate of insurance confirming the required coverage and shall notify 

the County no less than 10 days prior to any changes in coverage 

including policy forms, policy limits, cancellations, non-renewals or 

changes in insurance carriers. 

4. The operator of a Dog Park authorized pursuant to this Section may enact 

rules and regulating governing the operation of the Dog Park provided 

that such rules and regulations are equal to or more stringent than 

corresponding provisions of this Ordinance. 

5. The Board of Supervisors may revoke a special exemption for a Dog Park 

upon a determination that the interests of the County are not served by 

continued operation of the Dog Park or that the public health, safety or 

welfare is threatened or may be threatened by continued operation of the 

Dog Park. 

F. BITING ANIMALS 

The procedures set forth in A.R.S. § 11-1014 shall be followed for biting 

animals. Domesticated wolves and offspring of domestic animals bred with wild 

animals or domesticated wolves shall be considered wild animals pursuant to the 

provisions of A.R.S. § 11-1014(c). 

Case 3:07-cv-08029-ROS Document 171 Filed 10/18/10 Page 4 of 5
G. PENALTIES 

1. A person who is convicted of a violation of this Ordinance is guilty of a 

class 2 misdemeanor. As a minimum penalty , a person convicted 

hereunder shall to pay a fine of not less than fifty dollars, which shall not 

be suspended unless, at the discretion of the judge court, that person is 

ordered to perform and complete a minimum of eight hours of community 

service. 

2. Any person requesting the release of an impounded dog shall provide 

proof of anti-rabies vaccinations and license, or shall obtain any applicable 

license and vaccination and shall pay for the cost of impoundment in 

accordance with a fee schedule adopted by the Yavapai County Board of 

Supervisors. Proof of ownership of the dog may be required prior to 

release. Any impounded dog which is not claimed within seventy-two 

hours shall be deemed abandoned. County enforcement agents may take 

possession of abandoned dogs and may place the dog for sale or may 

dispose of the dog in a humane manner. Any person purchasing an 

abandoned dog shall obtain applicable anti-rabies vaccinations and pay the 

applicable license and impoundment fees. 

H. REPEALER 

Yavapai County Ordinance No. 1991-2 is hereby repealed 

I. EFFECTIVE DATE 

This Ordinance, including the repealer contained herein shall be effective 

October 5, 2000. 

Passed and adopted by the Yavapai County Board of Supervisors this 5th

day of September, 2000. 

 /s/ A.G. “Chip” Davis 

 A. G. “Chip” Davis, Chairman 

 Yavapai County Board of Supervisors 

ATTEST: 

/s/ Bev Staddon 

 Bev Staddon, Clerk 

 Yavapai County Board of Supervisors 

Case 3:07-cv-08029-ROS Document 171 Filed 10/18/10 Page 5 of 5