Bethel Township undertakes to establish this Animal Ordinance
to protect the public health and safety of its citizens by requiring
animal owners to properly train, care for, and secure their animals
and by limiting the number of animals on a premises so as to prevent
animals from causing injuries and/or creating nuisances that may jeopardize
the health, welfare, safety or degrade the quality of life of citizens
of the Township.
It is the intent that this chapter shall be supplemental to
any laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania herinbefore or hereinafter
adopted covering animals within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
This chapter shall be known as the "Animal Control Ordinance
of Bethel Township."
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the
meanings indicated:
ANIMALS
Any animal or bird that is kept as a domestic pet by an individual,
including but not limited to dogs, cats, rabbits and birds. This term
does not include livestock, poultry or horses that are maintained
as a part of a working farm, horse farm or ranch.
AT LARGE
Being upon any public highway, street, park or any other
public land, or upon property of another person other than the owner,
and not being accompanied by and under the control of the owner or
any other person having custody of such animal.
CRUELTY
Any act of commission or omission whereby unjustifiable physical
pain, suffering or death of any animal is caused or permitted, including
failure to provide proper drink, air, space, shelter or protection
from the elements, a sanitary and safe living environment, veterinary
care or nutritious food in sufficient quantity.
NUISANCE
The unreasonable, unwarranted or unlawful use of public or
private property that substantially interferes with another person's
enjoyment of his or her rights or property by exposing that person
to harm, annoyance, inconvenience or discomfort.
OFFICER
Any police officer, state trooper or duly appointed animal
control officer or code enforcement officer, or his or her designee.
OWNER
Includes every person, proprietor, corporation, partnership
or association that actually owns an animal or who has an animal in
his, her, or its care or who keeps or harbors an animal, or permits
an animal to remain on or about any premises occupied by him, her,
or it. The parent or guardian of any minor claiming ownership of any
animal shall also be deemed the owner of such animal.
WILD/EXOTIC ANIMAL
A wild, dangerous, or undomesticated animal or venomous reptile
which is not of a species customarily used as an ordinary house pet
or livestock and which would ordinarily be confined to a zoo or which
would ordinarily be found in the wilderness of this or any other country
or which otherwise causes a reasonable person to be fearful of bodily
harm or property damage, irrespective of its actual or asserted state
of tameness or domestication. This definition includes animals bred
or raised in captivity and hybrids of wild/exotic animals, but not
fish or birds.