[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Supervisors of the Township of
East Allen as indicated in article histories. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Parks and recreation areas — See Ch. 163.
[Adopted 1-8-1976 by Ord. No. 76-3]
For the purpose of this article, the following terms shall have the
following meanings unless otherwise indicated:
Both male and female animals.
An officer of East Allen Township, Northampton County, who shall
be authorized and directed to enforce this article.
Off the premises of the owner, and not under the direct control of
a person, either by leash, cord, chain or otherwise.
Any person having lawful possession of an animal, either with the
consent of the owner or by virtue of willfully taking control of the animal
in some other manner.
Includes every person, firm or corporation having a right of property
in any animal which is kept or harbored, or permitted, or suffered to be within
the limits of the Township of East Allen, Northampton County, as well as every
person, firm or corporation occupying any premises within the limits of the
Township of East Allen, Northampton County, permitting an animal or animals
to remain on or about his or its premises.
On and after the effective date of this article, it shall be unlawful
for any owner to permit, allow or suffer any animal to run at large in East
Allen Township, Northampton County.
The Animal Control Officer is hereby authorized and directed to seize
and detain any animal or animals, licensed or unlicensed, found running at
large either upon the public streets, roads or highways of the Township or
on the property of any other person and not under the direct control of its
owner or a keeper. The Animal Control Officer is hereby authorized and empowered
to go upon any premises and to enter any unoccupied building for the purpose
of seizing and detaining any animal or animals which have been running at
large when such Animal Control Officer is in immediate pursuit of such animal
or animals.
The Animal Control Officer who has seized any animal under the provisions
of this article shall keep said animal for a maximum of three days and give
notice, either personally or by certified mail, to the owner thereof, if he
can be ascertained, to claim such dog within three days from the date of seizure.
The owner of such animal reclaiming the same shall pay all expenses incurred
for feeding and harboring the animal at the rate fixed from time to time by
the Board of Supervisors and a further sum fixed from time to time to cover
the cost of impounding and returning said animal to its owner.
All animals seized and detained by the Animal Control Officer and not
reclaimed by the owner within three days after seizure shall be delivered
by the Animal Control Officer to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty
to Animals; provided that no animal detained by the Animal Control Officer
shall be sold to anyone for the purpose of vivisection; and further provided
that no animal shall be sold or released by the Animal Control Officer if
said animal appears to be suffering from rabies, or affected by hydrophobia,
mange, or other infectious diseases, or any malady which in the sole and absolute
opinion of the Animal Control Officer would render said animal a menace to
society or a hazard to the health and safety of the community. In the event
the Animal Control Officer shall make such a determination, said Animal Control
Officer shall have the animal destroyed by a registered veterinarian with
the cost for same paid by the Township in the first instance and charged back
against the owner or keeper, as the case may be.
A.
Interference with the Animal Control Officer in the enforcement
of this article shall constitute a violation of the same.
B.
Any person who shall take away or attempt to take away
from the possession and custody of the Animal Control Officer or any person
who shall cut or attempt to cut the leash of any animal in the possession
and custody of the Animal Control Officer shall be guilty of a violation of
this article.
Any person who violates or permits a violation of this article shall,
upon conviction in a summary proceeding brought before a District Justice
under the Pennsylvania Rules of Criminal Procedure, be guilty of a summary
offense and shall be punishable by a fine of not more than $1,000, plus costs
of prosecution. In default of payment thereof, the defendant may be sentenced
to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 90 days. Each day or portion thereof
that such violation continues or is permitted to continue shall constitute
a separate offense, and each section of this article that is violated shall
also constitute a separate offense.
