2015 Delaware Code
Title 9 - Counties
CHAPTER 9. DOGS
Subchapter II Dangerous and Potentially Dangerous Dogs
§ 920 Definitions.

For the purposes of this subchapter:

(1) "Animal control agency" shall mean the entity acting alone or in concert with other governmental units and legally authorized to enforce the dog control laws and regulations of the State, a county or any municipality.

(2) "Attack" shall mean the deliberate action of a dog, whether or not in response to a command by its owner, to bite, seize with its teeth or pursue any human being or domestic animal with the obvious intent to kill, wound, injure or otherwise harm the human being or domestic animal.

(3) "Dangerous dog" shall mean any dog declared to be dangerous by the Panel pursuant to § 925 of this title or any potentially dangerous dog kept or maintained in violation of § 926(b) of this title.

(4) "Dog" shall mean any dog or dog hybrid.

(5) "Domestic animal" shall mean any dog, cat, poultry or livestock.

(6) "Owner" shall mean any person who owns, keeps, harbors or is the custodian of a dog.

(7) "Panel" shall mean the Dog Control Panel.

(8) "Physical injury" shall mean impairment of physical condition or substantial pain.

(9) "Potentially dangerous dog" shall mean any dog declared to be potentially dangerous by the Panel pursuant to § 926 of this title.

(10) "Proper enclosure" shall mean securely confined indoors or a securely enclosed and locked pen or structure, suitable to prevent the entry of young children and designed to prevent the dog from escaping. Such pen or structure shall have secure sides and a secure top and shall also provide protection from the elements for the animal. If the pen or structure has no bottom secured to the sides, the sides must be embedded at least 2 feet into the ground.

(11) "Serious physical injury" shall mean physical injury which creates a substantial risk of death, or which causes serious and prolonged disfigurement, prolonged impairment of health or prolonged loss or impairment of the function of any bodily organ.

77 Del. Laws, c. 428, § 8; 80 Del. Laws, c. 157, § 1.;