Township of North Versailles, PA Article III Requirements for Keeping Certain Animals

[Adopted 11-16-1987 by Ord. No. 857 (Ch. 2, Part 3, of the 1987 Code of Ordinances)]

§ 92-12 Definitions and word usage.

A. As used in this article, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated, unless a different meaning clearly appears from the context:

ANIMAL

Any domestic animal or fowl, any wild animal or any household pet.

DOMESTIC ANIMAL

Any animal normally or ordinarily domesticated or raised in this area and climate as livestock or for work or breeding purposes, or normally or ordinarily kept as a household pet.

HOUSEHOLD PET

Any dog, cat, or other domestic animal normally and ordinarily kept in or permitted to be at large in the dwelling of its owner.

LARGE ANIMAL

Any wild or domestic animal of the bovine, equine or sheep family.

PERSON

Any person, firm, partnership, association, or corporation.

SMALL ANIMAL

Any wild or domestic animal such as a rabbit, hare, guinea pig, rat, mouse, or chinchilla; and any wild or domestic fowl such as a chicken, turkey, goose, duck, or pigeon (excepting homing pigeons).

WILD ANIMAL

Any animal, including bird, fowl, or reptile not normally or ordinarily domesticated; not normally or ordinarily raised in this area and climate as livestock or for work or breeding purposes; or not capable of being kept as a household pet.

B. In this article, the singular shall include the plural, the plural shall include the singular, and the masculine shall include the feminine.

§ 92-13 Certain animals prohibited.

[Amended 2-20-1989 by Ord. No. 874; 8-20-2020 by Ord. No. 1130]

It shall be unlawful for any person to keep any pigs, hogs or swine at any place within the Township of North Versailles.

§ 92-14 Number of animals permitted.

[Added 2-20-1989 by Ord. No. 874]

No household shall house, keep or maintain more than a total of five dogs and/or cats combined at any one time. This section shall become effective on May 1, 1989.

§ 92-15 Keeping of animals regulated.

[Amended 2-20-1989 by Ord. No. 874]

It shall be unlawful for any person to keep any domestic animals, except household pets, except as provided in this section:

A. Large animals shall be confined in quarters no part of which shall be closer than 100 feet to the exterior limits of any dwelling or of any property line.

B. Except as prohibited by § 92-14, small animals shall be kept confined in quarters no part of which shall be closer than 25 feet to the exterior limits of any dwelling or of any property line.

C. The keeper of every such animal shall confine the same in an enclosure sufficient to prevent such animal from running at large, and such enclosure shall be of a size and construction conducive to the animal's health, and adequate sanitary drainage facilities shall be provided.

D. Every keeper of any animal shall cause the litter and droppings therefrom to be collected daily in a container or receptacle that, when closed, shall be rat-proof and fly-tight, and after every such collection shall cause such container or receptacle to be kept closed. At least twice a week, every such keeper shall cause all litter and droppings so collected to be disposed of in such manner as not to permit the presence of fly larvae.

E. Every keeper of any animal shall cause all feed provided therefor to be stored and kept in a rat-proof and fly-tight building, box, container, or receptacle.

§ 92-16 Household pets.

It shall be unlawful for any person to keep any household pet, except as provided in this section:

A. If any such pet shall be kept in a dwelling owned or occupied by its owner, such owner shall be required to follow such procedures and practices as to the number of such pets to be kept there, and as to sanitation, to insure that no public nuisance shall be created or maintained and no threat to the health of persons living elsewhere than in such dwelling shall be created.

B. If any such pet shall be kept in an enclosure outside such dwelling, the provisions of § 92-15 of this article, insofar as the same applies to small animals, shall be applicable to the keeping of such household pet.

§ 92-17 Violation of state law.

Any violation of this article that would also violate any state law shall be prosecuted under that state law and not under this article.

§ 92-18 Violations and penalties.

[Amended 8-15-1988 by Ord. No. 867]

Any person who shall violate any provision of this article shall, upon conviction thereof, be sentenced to pay a fine not exceeding $1,000, and/or to undergo imprisonment for a term not to exceed 30 days. Each day that a violation of this article continues shall constitute a separate offense.