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The life of the law has not been logic; it has been experience.
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Legal Definitions - animal
Definition of animal
In legal terms, an animal refers to any living creature that is not a human being. This broad category is further broken down into specific types based on their relationship with humans and their natural state.
Animal
Any living creature other than a human being.
Example 1: A squirrel burying nuts in a backyard.
Explanation: The squirrel is a living creature and not a human, fitting the general definition of an animal.
Example 2: A dolphin swimming in the ocean.
Explanation: As a non-human living organism, the dolphin is an animal under this definition.
Example 3: An insect, such as a bee pollinating a flower.
Explanation: Bees are living creatures distinct from humans, thus categorized as animals.
An animal that is commonly kept by humans for companionship, work, or food, or one that is specifically classified as such by law.
Example 1: A golden retriever living as a family pet.
Explanation: This dog is kept for companionship and is customarily devoted to human interaction, making it a domestic animal.
Example 2: A flock of sheep raised on a farm for wool and meat.
Explanation: These sheep are routinely managed by humans for agricultural purposes, fitting the definition of domestic animals.
Example 3: A guide dog assisting a visually impaired person.
Explanation: This dog is specifically trained and devoted to providing a service to a human, clearly illustrating its status as a domestic animal.
A domestic animal that has escaped human care and returned to a wild state, often losing its socialization with people and living independently.
Example 1: A group of cats living in an abandoned building, avoiding all human contact and hunting for their own food.
Explanation: These cats are descended from pets but have reverted to a wild existence, demonstrating the characteristics of feral animals.
Example 2: Wild pigs roaming a forest, whose ancestors escaped from a nearby farm decades ago.
Explanation: Originally domestic livestock, these pigs now live without human intervention, illustrating their feral nature.
Example 3: A pigeon flock in a city park, descended from domesticated homing pigeons but now living entirely independently.
Explanation: While often interacting with humans for food, these pigeons are not under human care and have returned to a self-sufficient, wild existence, making them feral.
Vicious Animal
An animal that has demonstrated a dangerous tendency towards humans, or one belonging to a breed or species generally known or reputed to be dangerous.
Example 1: A dog that has previously bitten a child without provocation, causing injury.
Explanation: This dog has shown itself to be dangerous to humans through its past behavior, classifying it as a vicious animal.
Example 2: A privately owned venomous snake, such as a cobra, known for its deadly bite.
Explanation: Even if it has never bitten anyone, the cobra belongs to a species widely known to be inherently dangerous, making it a vicious animal.
Example 3: A normally gentle pet parrot that unexpectedly lunges at and severely pecks a visitor's face.
Explanation: The parrot's sudden and unprovoked attack demonstrates a dangerous propensity, even if it's not typical for its species, thus classifying it as vicious in that instance.
An animal that naturally lives in the wild, is not typically tamed, and is generally considered unpredictable, dangerous, or mischievous, or one not legally designated as a domestic animal.
Example 1: A wolf pack living in a remote forest.
Explanation: Wolves are naturally untamable, live independently in the wild, and are considered unpredictable and potentially dangerous, fitting the definition of wild animals.
Example 2: A deer encountered grazing in a meadow far from human habitation.
Explanation: Deer are not domesticated, live freely in nature, and are generally unpredictable in their reactions to humans, classifying them as wild animals.
Example 3: An alligator in a swamp.
Explanation: Alligators are naturally untamable, live in their natural habitat, and are inherently dangerous predators, making them clear examples of wild animals.
Simple Definition
Legally, an animal is defined as any living creature other than a human being. Animals are further categorized based on their relationship with humans, such as domestic, feral, or wild, and can also be designated as vicious if they are known to be dangerous.