[Adopted 6-22-1998 by Ord. No. 2-1998]
It is recognized that the health, safety and welfare of the
residents of the Township of Bear Creek must be protected to the maximum
extent possible and legally permissible. It is further recognized
that the keeping of certain animals poses a serious danger to the
health, safety and welfare of the residents of the Bear Creek Township
due to both the nature of certain animals and the demographics and
environment of the Township of Bear Creek.
It shall be unlawful for any person, partnership, association,
firm or corporation to keep, maintain or have in his or its possession
or under his or its control within the Township of Bear Creek any
poisonous reptile or any other dangerous or carnivorous wild animal
or reptile, any vicious or dangerous domesticated animal or any other
animal or reptile of wild, vicious or dangerous propensities.
It shall be unlawful for any person, partnership, association,
firm or corporation to keep, maintain or have in his or its possession
or under his or its control within the Township of Bear Creek any
of the following animals:
All poisonous animals, including rear-fang snakes
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Apes: chimpanzees (Pan), gibbons (Hylobates), gorillas (Gorilla),
orangutans (Pongo) and siamangs (Symphalangus)
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Baboons (Papoi, Mandrillus)
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Bears (Ursidae)
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Bison (bison)
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Cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus)
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Crocodilians (Crocodilia) 30 inches in length or more
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Constrictor snakes, six feet in length
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Coyotes (Canis latrans)
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Deer (cervidae; includes all members of the deer family; for
example, white-tailed deer, elk, antelope and moose)
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Elephants
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Game cocks and other fighting birds
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Hippopotamus
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Hyenas, jaguars, leopards, lions, lynxes, ostriches, Puma felis
concolor, also known as cougars, mountain lions, and panthers
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Rhinoceroses, snow leopards, swine, tigers, wolves
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The provisions of §§
50-2 and
50-3 shall not apply to licensed pet shops, menageries, zoological gardens and circuses if:
A. Their locations conforms to the provisions of Chapter
127, Zoning, of the Code of the Township of Bear Creek.
B. All animals and animal quarters are kept in a clean and sanitary
condition and so maintained as to eliminate objectionable odors.
C. Animals are maintained in quarters so constructed as to prevent their
escape.
Any person, firm, corporation or group of individuals found
in violation of this article shall, upon conviction thereof before
any issuing authority, be subject to a fine of up to $600 and may
be sentenced to a period of incarceration not exceeding 90 days in
the Luzerne County Jail. Each incident in violation of this article
shall be considered a separate offense and may be punishable as such.