[HISTORY: Adopted by the City Council of the City of Altoona
as indicated in article histories. Amendments noted where applicable.]
[Adopted 3-22-1995 by Ord. No. 5367]
No person having the ownership, care, or custody of any animal
shall knowingly or willfully bring such animal into the confines of
the City Hall Building, located at 1301 12th Street, Altoona, Pennsylvania,
or any other public building under the ownership or control of the
City of Altoona.
This article shall not apply to any dog whose purpose is to
guide or aid the visually handicapped, any dog under the control or
supervision of a law enforcement official commonly known as a "K-9,"
or for any person whose business with the City of Altoona would require
the bringing of the animal into the confines of the building in order
to conduct such business.
Any person in violation of this article shall be guilty of a
summary offense and, upon conviction, shall be sentenced to pay a
fine of not less than $100 nor more than $1,000 or be imprisoned for
a period not to exceed 90 days, or both.
[Adopted 10-8-1997 by Ord. No. 5434]
As used in this article, certain terms are defined as follows:
Any dog or other animal when it is off the property of its
owner and not restrained by the owner, keeper or another competent
person.
Any member of the genus and species known as Felis domesticus,
male, female or alter.
Any indoor housing facility wherein cats are kept for the
purpose of leasing, buying, sale, boarding, show, breeding, exchange
or placement as pets or other similar purpose and is so constructed
that the cats cannot stray therefrom.
Any member of the genus and species known as Canis familiaris,
male, female or alter.
The act of giving food to an animal to sustain its ability
to live. This includes placing food in bowls or receptacles outside
a home or primary structure for the purpose of consumption such that
animals are able to access it without further human intervention.
[Added 8-12-2020 by Ord.
No. 5769]
An unowned free-roaming cat that is partially socialized
or unsocialized to humans and tends to resist contact with humans.
[Added 8-12-2020 by Ord.
No. 5769]
Any canine whose known ancestry includes a species other
than Canis familiaris or any feline whose known ancestry includes
a species other than Felis domesticus.
To apprehend, catch, trap, net or if necessary to kill any
animal by the local police department or authorized local agency.
Any premises for the purpose of impounding and caring for
animals.
Any indoor housing facility wherein dogs are kept for the
purpose of breeding, hunting, training, leasing, buying, boarding,
sale, show, exchange or placement as pets or other similar purpose
and is so constructed that dogs cannot stray therefrom.
Any of the mammalia class of higher vertebrates comprising
animals that nourish their young with milk secreted by mammary glands
and have the skin more or less covered with hair. For purposes of
this article, man is excluded from the term mammal.
Any species of the genus Canis other than Canis familiaris.
Any species of the genus Felis other than Felis domesticus.
When applied to the proprietorship of a dog or cat, includes
every person having a right of property in the dog or cat and every
person who keeps or harbors the dog or cat or has it in his or her
care, and every person who permits the dog or cat to remain on or
about any premises occupied by him or her
When dog or other animal is controlled by leash or chain
not exceeding six feet in length or when a dog or other animal is
confined to the owner's property.
A cat that has been socialized to humans at some point in
its life, but has left or lost its domestic home, as well as most
human contact and dependence.
[Added 8-12-2020 by Ord.
No. 5769]
A doctor of veterinary medicine who is graduated from an
accredited and recognized school of veterinary medicine, and possesses
a license to practice veterinary medicine.
A.
No person shall keep, harbor or maintain a dog over the age or three
months unless the owner obtains a license from the City of Altoona
Finance Department.
B.
The provisions of this section shall not apply to dogs whose owners
are within the City for 60 days or less or to dogs brought into this
City for the purpose of participating in a dog show or similar event.
C.
The license year shall be from January 1 to December 31 of each year.
License year shall become effective January 1, 1998.
The owner shall state at the time the application is made for
a license, and upon printed forms provided for the purpose, his or
her name, address, telephone number and the name, breed, color and
sex of each dog.
No person shall keep, harbor or maintain a cat that roams freely
unless the owner identifies the cat or cats with an identification
collar or tag that shall clearly and legibly state the cat owner's
name, address and telephone.
Proof of a dog's or cat's current rabies vaccination shall be
provided to an employee of the City of Altoona Dog Law Enforcement
Officer upon request.
[Amended 6-26-2002 by Ord. No. 5509]
B.
Licenses are to be issued without charge to guide dogs, service dogs
or hearing dogs which are properly trained to assist the blind or
deaf persons.
C.
All kennels shall be required to have the owner purchase and place
a license on every dog placed from that kennel.
D.
The City Finance Department shall provide licenses to nonprofit shelters
located within the City limits to be distributed free of charge to
the dogs and cats placed with City residents.
E.
The City may authorize certain businesses and organizations to issue
licenses, and they may surcharge their customers $0.50 for this service.
A.
Tag and collar. Upon payment of the license fee, there shall be issued
to the owner a tag for each dog licensed. The tag shall be changed
every year and shall have stamped thereon the year for which it was
issued. Every owner shall be required to provide each dog which ventures
upon the public streets, sidewalks or other public places with a collar
to which license tag shall be affixed. The tag number, preceded by
the letters "ALT" and the license year, written clearly and legibly
upon the collar, shall be regarded as an acceptable substitute for
the presence of the tag upon the collar.
B.
Nontransferable and nonrefundable. License tags or numbers shall
not be transferable from one dog to another and no refunds shall be
made on license fee because of the death of dog or the owner leaving
the City before expiration of the licensed period.
No person, whether as owner or person in possession, shall permit
his or her dog to run at large upon the public streets, sidewalks
or other public places, or upon the property of another. A dog shall
be restrained by the use of a leash, or a chain not exceeding six
feet in length, at all times when upon public places, streets and
parks.
A.
No person shall keep or harbor any dog, cat or other animal in the
City so as to create offensive odors, excessive noise or unsanitary
conditions which are a menace to the health, comfort or safety of
the public, or otherwise permit the commission or existence of a nuisance
as defined herein.
B.
Any dog, cat or other animal, which by frequent and habitual barking,
howling, screeching, yelping or baying, or in any way or manner disturbs
the quiet of any person or the community, or which disturbs or endangers
the comfort, repose or health of persons, is hereby declared to be
committing a nuisance. No owner or person having custody of the animal
shall harbor or permit it to commit a nuisance.
C.
Any dog, cat or other animal which scratches, digs or defecates upon
any lawn, tree, shrub, plant, building or any other public or private
property, other than the property of the owner or person in charge
or control of the animal, is hereby declared to be a nuisance.
D.
No person, being the owner or in charge or control of any dog, cat
or other animal, shall permit the animal to commit a nuisance on any
school grounds, City park or other public property, or upon any private
property other than that of the owner or person in charge or control
of the dog, cat or other animal without the permission of the owner
of the property. Where the owner or person in charge or control of
the animal immediately removes all feces deposited by the animal and
disposes of same in a sanitary manner, the type of nuisance shall
be considered abated.
F.
Any female dog or cat in season shall be kept properly confined indoors.
G.
No person shall feed any stray or feral cats, where such feeding
causes a nuisance to neighbors or creates a condition contrary to
the health, safety and welfare of the community. Any person who chooses
to feed stray or feral cats shall from such point forward responsible
for the care of said animal and shall be required to have it vaccinated
for rabies and spayed or neutered.
[Added 8-12-2020 by Ord.
No. 5769]
A.
Dogs and cats shall be provided access to shelter which protects
them against inclement weather, keeps them dry and allows them to
preserve a normal body temperature.
B.
If dog houses with chains are used as shelters for dogs kept outside,
the chains used shall contain a swivel or be attached to a swivel
and shall be placed and attached so that they cannot become entangled
with the chains of other dogs or another object. The chains shall
be a type commonly used for the size and type of dog involved and
shall be attached to the dog by means of a well-fitted buckle-type
collar. The chains shall be at least three times the length of the
dog as measured from the tip of its nose to the base of its tail,
but no less than 10 feet in length and shall allow the dog convenient
access to the dog house.
C.
No animal may be housed on a temporary or permanent basis in any
shelter constructed of uninsulated metal.
No person or residence shall be permitted to own, harbor or
maintain a nondomestic canine, a nondomestic feline or hybrid within
the City limits. This section shall not affect any animal owned by
a person living within the City limits prior to the effective date
of this section. This section shall not apply to any educational,
institutional, zoological garden or circus.
A.
Every police officer or other authorized agency shall impound every
dog at large.
In addition to the other duties set forth in this article, the
City of Altoona Dog Law Enforcement Officer shall:
A.
Provide informational service for the public on all mammal inquiries,
including licensing and identification requirements, control, City
regulations, maintenance and health, disposal, selection, training
and instruction, nuisance report referrals, abuse and cruelty; copies
of this article shall be available and shall be deemed adequate notice;
B.
Provide a central mammal lost and found service in conjunction with
Animal Control Officers; and
C.
Provide referrals of humane programs to schools and concerned organizations
utilizing voluntary assistance from the local humane groups.
A.
An owner or keeper whose dog, cat, nondomestic canine, nondomestic
feline or hybrid is found to have bitten someone without provocation
while running at large shall be fined $350, plus costs, if it is a
first offense. The penalty shall be $1,000, plus costs, for each subsequent
offense, and in default thereof, imprisonment not exceeding 72 hours.
The City of Altoona Finance Department is hereby authorized
and directed to collect and retain all fees and fines associated with
the determination and registration of a dangerous dog, issue the appropriate
certificates of registration and dangerous dog warning signs and carry
out all other duties and functions prescribed by the Dangerous Dog
Law, Act 46, Sec. 2, of 1990, May 31, P.L. 213, as amended (3 P.S.
§ 459-507-A et seq.) whenever a dangerous dog determination
from the City of Altoona Dog Law Enforcement Officer has been received
by the City of Altoona Finance Department.
