[Adopted 2-18-1991 by Ord. No. 640]
As used in this article, the following terms
shall have the meanings indicated, unless a different meaning clearly
appears from the context:
A dog or cat.
Any person with whom the Township enters into a contract
for the control of animals in the Township and who shall enforce this
article.
Maintaining custody or control over a cat or dog or permitting
a cat or dog to remain on a premises or providing shelter or food,
which shall include the leaving of food in an area to which stray
cats have access.
Any individual, firm, partnership, association, corporation,
company or organization of any kind having a right of proprietorship
or ownership in an animal, keeping or harboring an animal or having
it in its care or permitting an animal to remain on or about any premises
occupied by such owner.
An animal shall be deemed to be running at large if elsewhere
than on the premises of the owner while not under the control of the
owner or his agent and without the knowledge, consent or approval
of the owner of such lands. Control, as set forth herein, shall require
the use of a leash or other control device.
A cat or dog having no known owner or custodian or known
place of care and shelter or not identified with the owner's name
and address on the collar of the cat or dog or unattended or running
at large.
A graduate of a recognized school of veterinary medicine
licensed to practice in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
An Animal Control Officer shall be appointed
by the Board of Commissioners of Tinicum Township to serve at its
pleasure. Such Animal Control Officer, along with the police officers
of the Township of Tinicum, 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.
It shall be unlawful for the owner of any animal,
as defined herein, to allow or permit such animal to run at large
in the Township of Tinicum.
A.
The Animal Control Officer or any police officer may
seize any animal found running at large in the Township of Tinicum.
Such animal shall be impounded in a licensed kennel.
B.
The seizure and detention of unlicensed dogs and the
destruction thereof shall conform to the provisions of the Dog Law
of 1982 (3 P.S. § 459-302, as hereafter amended, supplemented,
modified or reenacted by the General Assembly of Pennsylvania).
C.
The seizure and detention of licensed dogs, costs
in connection therewith and the destruction thereof shall conform
to the provisions of the Dog Law of 1982 (3 P.S. § 459-302,
as hereafter amended, supplemented, modified or reenacted by the General
Assembly of Pennsylvania).
Dogs that, in the opinion of any police officer
or the Animal Control Officer, constitute a threat to public health
and welfare may be killed by the police or Animal Control Officer.
No owner of any animal shall permit such animal
to cause annoyance to the residents of the Township of Tinicum or
to other persons lawfully in the Township by continually barking,
yelping, howling or making any other unseemly noise, either in daytime
or nighttime, whether situated in or upon private property, said noise
being a threat to the peace, tranquility and health of the citizens
of the Township of Tinicum, which is hereby declared to be a public
nuisance.
No owner of any animal shall permit such animal
in any manner to injure any human being or other animal or to destroy
property within the Township of Tinicum.
The owner of any animal shall not permit or
allow such animal to scatter, spill or otherwise disturb any household
trash set out or placed for municipal trash pickup.
All cats must be identified on the cat's collar
with the owner's name and address.
No person shall interfere with a police officer
or the Animal Control Officer in the performance of his duties under
this article or shall attempt to prevent him from seizing or capturing
or shall attempt to liberate the dog, cat or other animal in the custody
and possession of said police officer or Animal Control Officer.
Any person, firm or corporation who shall violate
any provision of this article shall, upon conviction thereof, be sentenced
to pay a fine of not more than $600, plus costs of prosecution, and,
in default of payment of such fine and costs, to imprisonment in the
county jail for a period not exceeding 30 days. All said fines shall
be paid to the Township of Tinicum.
