Except as is now or may hereafter be otherwise
provided by law, it shall be unlawful for an owner of any animal or
animals, including livestock, pigeons, chickens, other fowl and dogs,
licensed or unlicensed, to permit such animal or animals to run at
large unaccompanied by the owner or keeper.
It shall be the duty of the Borough police to
seize and detain any animal or animals, whether they be licensed or
unlicensed, which are found running at large either upon public streets
or highways of the Borough or upon the property of other than the
owner of such animal. The Borough police are hereby authorized and
empowered to go upon any premises and enter any building to seize
and detain any animal or animals which have been found running at
large unaccompanied by the owner or keeper, when such Borough police
are in the immediate pursuit of any such animal or animals.
Any police officer may kill any animal which
threatens persons or property.
It shall be the duty of any police officer of
the Borough of Eddystone who witnesses any animal running at large
in conflict with the provisions of this article, or who receives information
of any animal so running at large, to seize such animal and convey
it to the place designated by the Borough Council as a pound. Notice
of such seizure shall be sent to the owner of such animal in the manner
prescribed by law for service of notice of seized dogs, and such animal
may be redeemed by the owner thereof within the time specified by
law for the redemption of seized dogs upon payment of the charges
hereinafter specified. The owner of an animal so detained shall pay
to the Borough the sum of $3 for the apprehension of the animal, plus
the sum of $1.50 for the first day of detention or portion thereof
and $1 for each additional day of detention or any part thereof, to
cover expenses incurred by reason of its detention.
Any animal or animals not claimed in accordance
with the provisions of this article shall be disposed of in accordance
with the law regulating the disposal of impounded dogs or such other
law or laws affecting the disposal of impounded animals as are now
or may from time to time be in effect.
All housing for animals, including all pigeon
coops and chicken houses, shall be kept in a sanitary condition and
shall be subject to the inspection of the Borough Health Officer at
all times.
No person or persons shall keep or have in his
or her possession in the Borough of Eddystone any reptile, including
snakes, alligators, turtles and any other animal of the class Reptilia.
No person or persons shall keep within the Borough
of Eddystone more than two cats more than six months of age.
It is the intent of the Borough Council that
this article shall be supplemental to any laws of the Commonwealth
of Pennsylvania hereinbefore or hereinafter adopted regulating the
keeping of dogs or other animals within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
and specifically in the Borough of Eddystone. Should any of the provisions
of this article be contrary to the provision of any Act of Assembly,
it is the intent of the Borough Council that the Act of Assembly shall
supersede this article.
The proper officers of the Borough are authorized
to enter into such agreements or contracts with any individual, individuals
or corporations as may be reasonably necessary to implement the provisions
of this article in regard to the care and custody of animals detained
by the Borough pursuant to the provisions of this article, and to
provide for the reasonable compensation of such person, persons or
corporations for such services.
[Amended 1-9-1989 by Ord. No. 524, approved 1-9-1989]
Any person who shall be convicted of a violation
of any of the provisions of this article before a District Justice
shall be sentenced to pay a fine of not more than $600, together with
the costs of prosecution, and, in default of the payment of the fine,
to imprisonment in the county jail for a term not to exceed 30 days.