(1) "Accredited veterinarian" means a veterinarian approved by the United States department of agriculture to perform specific functions required by cooperative state and federal disease control and eradication programs.

    (2) "Animal" means an animal other than a human being.

    (3) "Animal control officer" means an individual employed as an animal control officer pursuant to sections 29a, 29b, and 29c of the dog law of 1919, Act No. 339 of the Public Acts of 1919, being sections 287.289a, 287.289b, and 287.289c of the Michigan Compiled Laws.

    (4) "Approved vaccine" means a vaccine authorized by the state veterinarian pursuant to the animal industry act of 1987, Act No. 466 of the Public Acts of 1988, being sections 287.701 to 287.747 of the Michigan Compiled Laws.

    (5) "Breeder" means a person who is a dealer as defined in the animal welfare act, Public Law 89-544, 7 U.S.C. 2131 to 2147, 2149, and 2151 to 2159, and who is regulated by the United States department of agriculture as a class A licensee, breeder, or a class B licensee, meeting the definition of dealer in §1.1, pursuant to title 9, C.F.R., subchapter A, part 1, section 1.1 and subpart F, sections 3.125 through 3.142.

    (6) "Department" means the department of agriculture.

    (7) "Director" means the director of the department of agriculture or his or her authorized representative.

    (8) "Ferret" means an animal of any age of the species Mustela furo.

    (9) "Hobby breeder" means a person who owns 4 or fewer ferrets that are at least 6 months of age or a litter of ferrets that is less than 5 months of age on a temporary basis for personal recreational purposes such as competitions in shows or improving the breed, and who registers his or her ferrets with a national ferret registry organization.

    (10) "Law enforcement agent" means an officer of the department of state police, a law enforcement agency of a county, township, city, or village who is responsible for the prevention and detection of crime and enforcement of the criminal laws of this state, or a conservation officer.

    (11) "Local unit of government" means a county, city, village, or township.

    (12) "Official interstate health certificate" or "official certificate of veterinary inspection" means a printed form that is adopted by any state that documents the information described in this subsection and that is issued by an accredited veterinarian for animals being imported or exported from this state within 30 days before the importation or exportation of the animals it describes. A photocopy of an official interstate health certificate or official certificate of veterinary inspection is not valid. An official interstate health certificate or official certificate of veterinary inspection shall include all of the following:

    (a) The complete names and addresses of the consignor and consignee and the destination address if different from the consignee address.

    (b) A description of the ferret by breed, sex, age, color, markings, and other identification.

    (c) The date of examination of the ferret by the accredited veterinarian preparing the certificate.

    (d) The health status of the ferret by recording the results of any required tests and required vaccinations. The accredited veterinarian preparing the certificate shall certify that the ferret is free from clinical signs of infectious, contagious, or toxicological diseases.

    (13) "Owner" means a person having a right of property ownership in a ferret, who keeps or harbors the ferret or has the ferret in his or her care or custody, or who permits the ferret to remain on or about premises occupied by the person. An owner does not include a veterinarian who keeps a ferret on a temporary basis for medical care or treatment.

    (14) "Person" means an individual, partnership, corporation, association, governmental entity, or other legal entity.

    (15) "State veterinarian" means the chief animal health official of the state as appointed by the director under section 7 of the animal industry act of 1987, Act No. 466 of the Public Acts of 1988, being section 287.707 of the Michigan Compiled Laws.

    (16) "Veterinarian" means a person licensed to practice veterinary medicine under article 15 of the public health code, Act No. 368 of the Public Acts of 1978, being sections 333.16101 to 333.18838 of the Michigan Compiled Laws, or under the law of another state or federal authority that is applicable to that person.