As used herein, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated,
unless a different meaning clearly appears from the context:
OWNER
Any person having a right of property in any or having custody of
any dog, or any person who harbors or permits a dog to remain on or around
his or her property.
RUNNING AT LARGE
Being upon any public highway, street, alley, park or any other public
land, or upon property of another person other than the owner, and not being
accompanied by or under the control of the owner of any other person having
custody of said dog.
A Dog Warden shall be appointed by the Borough Council to serve during
its pleasure. Such Dog Warden, along with the police officers, shall have
concurrent responsibility for the enforcement of this Article and of the Dog
Law of 1982 (3 P.S. § 459-101 et seq., as hereafter amended, supplemented,
modified or reenacted by the General Assembly of Pennsylvania), provided that
he shall not have the power to make arrests under this Act of Assembly or
any other Act of Assembly or ordinance of the borough.
It shall be unlawful for the owner of any dog or dogs to allow or permit
such dog or dogs to run at large in the borough.
The Dog Warden or any police officer or constable may seize any dog
found at large in the borough. Such dog or dogs are to be impounded in a licensed
kennel.
A. Licensed dogs. The Chief of Police of the municipality
with which the borough has contracted shall notify the owner of a licensed
dog by registered or certified mail, with return receipt, that the dog is
impounded and will be disposed of in five (5) days if not claimed. Five (5)
days after the return receipt has been received, and the dog has not been
claimed, the dog may be sold or destroyed in accordance with the Dog Law of
1982.
B. Unlicensed dogs. Unlicensed dogs that are seized shall
be held in such kennel for forty-eight (48) hours and if not claimed may be
destroyed in accordance with the Dog Law of 1982.
Dogs that, in the opinion of any police officer or Dog Warden, constitute
a threat to public health and welfare may be killed by the police or Dog Warden.
The first two (2) times a dog is seized, the owner shall pay a fine
of fifteen dollars ($15.) to the borough as well as reasonable fees for keeping
the animal in a kennel as fixed pursuant to a resolution of the Borough Council.
Any person allowing a dog to run at large a third time in violation of this
Article shall, upon conviction thereof, be sentenced to pay a fine of not
more than six hundred dollars ($600.) plus costs and, in default of payment,
to imprisonment for a term not to exceed thirty (30) days.