(1) "Animal control officer" means any person operating under the authority of this state, any unit of local government or the United States Government or pursuant to an agreement with any state or local government authority, for the purpose of:

(a) Providing shelter and other care for lost, homeless or injured animals;

(b) Serving as an information center concerning missing and found animals;

(c) Protecting the public from hazardous or insanitary conditions associated with animals that are running at large; or

(d) Protecting animals from neglect, cruelty or abuse.

(2) "Animal dealer" means any person, whether or not duly licensed or registered under state or federal law, who acquires or maintains possession of a dog or cat with the intention of selling the animal to another person, but does not include:

(a) Any research facility, retail pet store, animal control agency or animal shelter;

(b) Any person who sells the person’s companion animal or the offspring of the companion animal;

(c) Any person who receives less than $250 per calendar year for the sale of animals;

(d) Any person who breeds or possesses animals solely for sale to research facilities and does not purchase or accept animals from the public or paid collectors;

(e) Any commercial breeder or distributor who sells animals exclusively for the purpose of private pet ownership;

(f) Any person who receives lost or injured animals for the exclusive purpose of rehabilitating the animals or placing them in private pet ownership;

(g) Any person who breeds or possesses dogs or cats for competition, exhibition, legal sporting events, search and rescue activity or police activity; or

(h) Any person licensed to practice veterinary medicine, surgery or dentistry under ORS chapter 686.

(3) "Animal shelter" means any person operating a facility in this or any other state for the purposes of:

(a) Providing shelter and other care for lost, homeless or injured animals;

(b) Serving as an information center concerning missing and found animals; or

(c) Protecting animals from neglect, cruelty or abuse.

(4) "Companion animal" means a dog or cat possessed by a person, business or other entity for purposes of companionship, security, hunting, herding or providing assistance in relation to a physical disability.

(5) "Person" means a human being, corporation, nonprofit corporation, association, partnership, sole proprietorship or other legal entity.

(6) "Research facility" means any person who:

(a) Investigates or gives instruction concerning the structure or functions of living organisms, the causes, prevention, control or cure of diseases or abnormal conditions of human beings or animals, or the effects of substances on human beings or animals; or

(b) Manufactures or sells products to be used in the prevention, control or cure of diseases or abnormal conditions of human beings or animals, or in the testing of the effects of substances on human beings or animals. [1991 c.837 §2]