Breeders, foster homes, pet shops, and similar establishments that
keep, harbor, board, shelter, lease, sell, or give away more than
five dogs and/or cats in a calendar year shall apply to the City for
a kennel/cattery permit on or before January 1 of each year. All applications
for a kennel/cattery permit shall be forwarded to the Animal Control
Section for approval before the permit is issued. The application
forms and permit shall be as provided by the Animal Control Section.
A separate permit shall be required for every location for which a
kennel or cattery is kept or operated. Animal shelters, kennels and
other institutions registered with the Pennsylvania Department of
Agriculture and/or the United States Department of Agriculture shall
be exempt from the requirements of this chapter. Animal hospitals
or clinics shall be exempt from the requirements of this chapter.
The fee for a kennel/cattery permit shall be $25 plus a registration
fee of $25 for each litter of puppies or kittens born. The first litter
born during a calendar year shall be exempt from the litter registration
fee.
Every owner or operator of a kennel or cattery shall keep for two
years a record of every dog and cat kept in the kennel or cattery
at any time. Such records shall show:
Such records shall be legible, shall be kept on the premises of the
kennel or cattery and shall be open to inspection by any authorized
employee of the Animal Control Section or Police Bureau.
Designated employees of the Animal Control Section or Police Bureau
are hereby authorized to inspect all kennels and catteries and to
enforce the provisions of this chapter and regulations promulgated
by the Chief of Police pursuant to this chapter. It shall be unlawful
for any person to refuse admittance to such authorized employees of
the Animal Control Section or Police Bureau for the purpose of making
inspections and enforcing the provisions of this chapter.
The Chief of Police will have the power to revoke or refuse to issue
any kennel/cattery permit upon conviction for any violation of this
chapter or the noncompliance with any regulations pursuant to this
chapter or for the conviction for violation of any law relating to
cruelty to animals.
All kennel and cattery owners and keepers shall provide their
animals with adequate veterinary care under the direction of a licensed
veterinarian.
Any kennel or cattery that offers a dog or cat for sale shall provide
the buyer with a health record for that dog or cat at the time of
sale. The health record shall set forth the following:
A list of all vaccinations administered to the dog or cat, the
date of the vaccinations and the name of the person who administered
them, if known, up to the date of sale;
A seller shall provide the buyer of each dog or cat with a statement
signed by a licensed veterinarian stating that the dog or cat is apparently
free of any contagious or infectious illness and not clinically ill
from parasitic infection at the time of the physical examination which
shall occur no more than 30 days prior to the date of sale. Congenital
and hereditary defects discovered by the veterinarian in the course
of the examination shall be listed in the statement. The statement
shall include the name, address and signature of the veterinarian
and the date the dog or cat was examined.
The kennel or cattery shall be structurally sound and maintained
in a manner to contain dogs or cats to protect them from injury and
to restrict the entrance of other animals.
The interior building surfaces of the kennel or cattery shall be
constructed and maintained so that they are water resistant and may
be readily sanitized.
The kennel or cattery temperature shall be maintained at a level
to protect the health and comfort of the dogs or cats housed. Shade
shall be provided to protect the animals from the direct rays of the
sun.
Kennels and catteries shall be constructed to provided for the health
and comfort of the animals. The facilities shall be provided with
fresh air either by means of windows, doors, vents, or air conditioning
and shall be ventilated so as to minimize drafts, odors and moisture
condensation.
Kennels and catteries shall have ample lighting by natural or artificial
means. The lighting shall provide uniformly distributed illumination
of sufficient intensity to permit routine inspection and cleaning.
Artificial light shall be regulated to provide a natural day/night
cycle.
The primary enclosure shall be constructed and maintained so as to
provide sufficient space to allow each dog or cat to turn about freely
and to stand erect, sit and lie down in a comfortable, normal position.
Litters of puppies under eight weeks of age and litters of kittens
under 16 weeks of age may be kept in the same primary enclosure so
long as the total weight does not exceed the provisions of this section.
The minimum area dimension for cats and various dogs shall be as follows:
Primary enclosures shall be sanitized with appropriate detergents
and/or disinfectants to prevent an accumulation of debris or excreta
or a disease hazard. No dog or cat shall be placed in a primary enclosure
previously occupied unless the enclosure has been sanitized.
The buildings and grounds of kennels and catteries shall be maintained
and kept clean and in good repair in order to protect the animals
from injury and to facilitate practices required by this chapter.
Kennels and catteries shall have an effective program that controls
egress by insects, ectoparasites and avian and mammalian pests. Evidence
of insects, ectoparasites and avian and mammalian pests or conditions
that would allow or encourage infestation in a kennel are indicative
of an ineffective program and unsanitary environmental sanitation
in the kennel.
No person shall interfere with, hinder or molest any authorized employee
or agent of the City or its Animal Control Section in the performance
of any duty as herein provided.
No person shall interfere or tamper with or damage any trap or release
any animal caught in a trap set by any authorized employee or agent
of the City or its Animal Control Section.
Any person found guilty of violating § 3-507.6 shall be subject to a fine of $100, plus costs, if it is the first offense. The penalty shall be $1,000, plus costs, for each subsequent offense.
Any person violating any other provision of this chapter shall be
fined $350, plus costs, if it is a first offense. The penalty shall
be $1,000, plus costs, for each subsequent offense.