As used in this chapter, the following terms
shall have the meanings indicated:
OWNER
Includes every person having a right of proprietorship or
ownership in a dog and every person who keeps or harbors a dog or
has it in his care and any person who permits a dog to remain on or
about any premises occupied by him.
[Amended 7-11-1989 by Ord. No. 7-1989; 4-11-2012 by Ord. No.
02-2012]
A. It shall
be unlawful for the owner or keeper of any dog to permit such dog
to run at large in West Goshen Township. Any such dog found to be
running at large, whether licensed or unlicensed, shall be subject
to seizure, detention and disposition by the West Goshen Township
Police Department or agency employed by the Township to carry out
such seizure, detention or disposition in accordance with the provisions
of the Pennsylvania Dog Law, as amended from time to time.
B. "Running
at large" shall be defined as being upon any public highway, street,
alley, park or other public land, and not being on a leash and accompanied
by or under the control of the owner or any other person having custody
of said dog.
[Added 5-24-2006 by Ord. No. 5-2006]
No person shall own, possess, harbor or control
any dog which howls or barks continuously and/or incessantly for a
period of 10 minutes or makes such noise intermittently for 1/2 hour
or more to the disturbance of any person at any time of the day or
night, regardless of whether the dog is situated in or upon private
property; provided, however, that at the time the dog is making such
noise, no person is trespassing or threatening to trespass upon private
property in or upon which the dog is situated or for any other cause
which teased or provoked the dog.
[Added 5-24-2006 by Ord. No. 5-2006]
Upon notification that a person is violating §
36-4, the Township Police, Code Enforcement Officer or Zoning Officer may issue a warning to the owner of the dog. The warning shall be hand-delivered or sent by certified mail, return receipt requested, and shall include a copy of §
36-4 and a notice that a fine will be imposed for the second and all subsequent violations in accordance with §
36-6C.
[Amended 6-1-1960; 7-11-1989 by Ord. No. 7-1989; 11-12-1996 by Ord. No.
11-1996; 7-24-1996 by Ord. No. 7-1996; 5-24-2006 by Ord. No.
5-2006; 5-18-2023 by Ord. No. 7-2023]
A. Any person who violates or permits the violation of any provision of this chapter, except §
36-4, shall, upon being found liable therefor in a criminal enforcement proceeding commenced by the Township before a District Justice, pay a fine for each such violation in an amount not less than $50 and not more than $20, plus all court costs, including reasonable attorney's fees, incurred by the Township.
B. Any person who is found liable for any second or subsequent offense for a violation of any provision of this chapter, except §
36-4, shall, upon being found liable therefor in a criminal enforcement proceeding commenced by the Township before a District Justice, pay a fine for each such violation in an amount not less than $200 and not more than $1,000, plus all court costs, including reasonable attorney's fees, incurred by the Township.
C.
(1) Any person who violates or permits the violation of §
36-4 of this chapter shall, upon being found liable therefor in a criminal enforcement proceeding commenced by the Township before a District Justice, pay a fine in the following amounts, plus all court costs, including reasonable attorney's fees, incurred by the Township:
(a) First
violation: warning issued.
(b) Second
violation in any calendar year: fine of $25.
(c) Third
violation in any calendar year: fine of $50.
(d) Fourth
and subsequent violations in any calendar year: fine of no less than
$100 and no more than $ 1,000.