As used in this act:

    (a) "Animal protection shelter" means a facility that is registered under section 6 of 1969 PA 287, MCL 287.336, and is operated by any of the following:

    (i) A person.

    (ii) A humane society.

    (iii) A society for the prevention of cruelty to animals.

    (iv) Any other nonprofit organization for the care of homeless animals.

    (b) "Cat" means a domestic cat of any age of the species Felis catus.

    (c) "Dealer" means a person that for compensation or profit delivers for transportation, transports, boards, buys, or sells dogs or cats for research purposes. Dealer does not include a person that breeds or raises dogs or cats for sale to a research facility.

    (d) "Department" means the department of agriculture and rural development.

    (e) "Director" means the director of the department.

    (f) "Dog" means a domestic dog of any age of the species Canis lupus familiaris.

    (g) "Laboratory animal" means a dog or cat that is used or intended to be used for laboratory research at a research facility.

    (h) "Laboratory research" means research, tests, or experiments conducted for education, scientific, medical, or experimental purposes.

    (i) "Municipality" means a county, city, village, or township.

    (j) "Person" means an individual, estate, business or nonprofit entity, public corporation, government or governmental subdivision, agency, or instrumentality, or other legal entity.

    (k) "Research facility" means a school, hospital, laboratory, institution, organization, or person that is licensed or otherwise registered with the United States Department of Agriculture, that uses or intends to use a laboratory animal in laboratory research, and that does 1 or both of the following:

    (i) Purchases or transports laboratory animals.

    (ii) Receives funds from this state, a local government, or an agency or instrumentality of this state or a local government to finance its operations through grants, loans, or other funds.