[Adopted 2-26-2013 by Ord. No. 13-01]
The purpose of this article is to encourage responsible pet
and animal ownership, requiring any owner or person having charge
or care of a cat(s) to ensure the proper control of the animal, and
to establish clean guidelines for the definition of nuisance cat(s)
and the enforcement of nuisance cat(s) violations.
As used in this article, unless the context otherwise indicates,
the following terms shall have the meaning ascribed to them:
Any animals that have been spayed or neutered.
A license issued to an owner of cats that are kept for the
purpose of breeding of cats or which are allowed to reproduce.
Any commonly domesticated feline animal, and includes both
the male and female sex of the species.
Any cat that is not restrained and is off the property of
the owner.
Any cat that is free roaming and is not altered.
An adult person or temporary or permanent custodian possessing,
harboring, keeping, sheltering or having control or custody of a cat(s)
or any person having any financial interest, right, or property in
the cat(s), and also includes any person who knowingly permits a cat(s)
to remain on or about any premises occupied by that person.
A.
It is unlawful to be the owner of a nuisance cat(s). Any owner of
a cat(s) causing a nuisance as defined below shall be in violation
of this article and subject to the penalties provided herein. The
following shall be deemed a nuisance in fact:
(1)
Any cat(s) which causes damage to the property of anyone other than
the owner.
(2)
Any cat(s) that is a vicious animal in that it may cause injury to
any person/animal or property or may be a hazard to public safety.
(3)
Any cat(s) which causes unreasonable fouling of the air by odors.
(4)
Any cat(s) which causes unsanitary conditions in enclosures or surroundings.
(5)
Any cat(s) which defecates on any public sidewalk, park or building
or on any private property without the consent of the owner of such
property, unless the person owning, having a proprietary interest
in, harboring, or having care, charge, control, custody, or possession
of such animal shall remove any such defecation to a proper trash
receptacle.
(6)
Whines, calls or makes other disturbing noises in an excessive, continuous
or untimely fashion.
(7)
Attacks other domestic animals.
(8)
Is determined by the Township Code Enforcement Officer to be offensive
or dangerous to the public health, safety, or welfare.
B.
It shall be unlawful for a person to intentionally provide food,
water, or other forms of sustenance or care to a nuisance cat(s).
It is unlawful of any person to feed a stray or homeless cat(s) without
full responsibility for the cat(s) by providing the cat(s) with continued
humane treatment, which shall include proper food, water, shelter,
veterinarian care, rabies vaccination, and altering the cat(s).
C.
It shall be unlawful to sell or offer for adoption any cat(s) that
has not been altered.
A.
Upon receipt of a complaint by one or more persons alleging the presence
of possible nuisance cat(s) and the description of the suspected cat(s),
the Township Code Enforcement Officer may investigate the complaint
to determine if in fact the animal is a nuisance cat(s).
B.
Upon determination by the Township Code Enforcement Officer of a
nuisance cat(s), the following action may be taken:
(1)
The Township Code Enforcement Officer may order the owner of a nuisance
cat(s) to have the animal(s) altered at the owner's expense.
(2)
A citation or order may be issued to the owner of the nuisance cat(s)
for failure to comply with any applicable provision of this article.
(3)
Cat(s) may be impounded. All costs associated with the impound, including
but not limited to impound fees and boarding fees, shall be the responsibility
of the owner. These costs shall be paid in full prior to reclaiming
the cat(s). If the owner fails to reclaim the cat(s), the owner shall
still be responsible for those costs.
