[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Supervisors of the Township
of Carroll 9-2-2008 by Ord. No. 2008-2. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Zoning — See Ch. 260.
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the
meanings indicated unless a different meaning clearly appears from
the context:
Dogs, cats and other domesticated and nondomesticated animals
kept as pets and/or for protection.
Any animal that is not normally domesticated in the United
States or is wild by nature. Exotic animals include, but are not limited
to, any or all of the following orders and families, whether bred
in the wild or in captivity, and also any and all of the hybrids with
domestic species. The animals listed in parentheses are intended to
act as examples and are not to be construed as an exhaustive list
or limit the generality of each group of animals, unless otherwise
specified.
Nonhuman primates and prosimians (monkeys, chimpanzees, baboons).
Felidae (lions, tigers, bobcats, cougars, leopards, jaguars,
mountain lions and nondomesticated cats).
Canidae (wolves, coyotes, foxes, jackals, nondomesticated dogs).
Ursidae (all bears).
Reptilia (all venomous snakes and all constricting snakes).
Crocodilia (alligators, crocodiles).
Proboscidea (elephants).
Hyaenidae (hyenas).
Artiodactyla (hippopotamuses, giraffes, camels, but not cattle,
swine, sheep, or goats).
Procyonidae (raccoons, coatis).
Marsupialia (kangaroos, opossums).
Perissodactyla (rhinoceroses, tapirs, but not horses, donkeys
or mules).
Edentata (anteaters, sloths, armadillos).
Viverridae (mongooses, civets and genets).
Any person/persons owning, keeping, feeding, harboring or
having custody of animals, or who allow animals to reside or remain
about their premises, shall be considered an "animal owner."
Any police officer, person or agency designated by the governing
body may seize any animal found at large within the Township.
In the opinion of any police officer, person or agency designated
by the governing agency that an animal constitutes a threat to the
public health, safety and welfare, same may be disposed of in a humane
manner in accordance with the standards generally followed by the
Humane Society.
The practice of inoculation with a vaccine to afford protection
from rabies, as required by the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture.[1]
Any animal with a propensity, tendency or disposition to attack
without provocation, to cause injury or to otherwise endanger the
safety of human beings or domestic animals.
Any animal which attacks a human being or domestic animal without
provocation or has a history of attacking human beings and/or domestic
animals without provocation or has killed or inflicted severe injury
on a domestic animal without provocation.
A vicious dog is "unconfined," as that term is used in this
section, if such dog is not securely enclosed in a locked pen or structure
upon the premises of the person described as the animal owner. Such
a pen or structure must have secure sides and top. The sides must
be imbedded into the ground no less than two feet.
No person owning or harboring or having the care of a vicious
dog shall suffer or permit such animal to go unconfined on the premises
of such person.
No person owning or harboring or having the care of a vicious
dog shall suffer or permit such dog to go beyond the premises of such
person unless such dog is securely leashed and muzzled, except that
a vicious dog shall not be required to be muzzled when shown either
in a sanctioned American Kennel Club show or upon prior approval of
a Carroll Township police officer or person or agency designated by
the governing agency.
It shall be unlawful for any person to keep any pigs, hogs,
swine or other animals within any zoning district associated with
agricultural farming except the Agricultural District.
It shall be unlawful for any owner to have an animal that becomes
a nuisance in the Township. Acts of nuisance shall include, but are
expressly not restricted to, the following:
A.
No owner shall allow any animal to run at large within the Township,
either upon public streets or highways or upon the property other
than that of the owner of such dog, cat or other animal. Any animal
on the public streets or highways of the Township shall be either
on a leash or a restraining device.
B.
No owner shall allow any animal confined on that person's premises
to make any loud or harsh noise or disturbance which interferes with
or deprives the peace, quiet, rest or sleep of any person within the
Township.
C.
No owner shall allow any animal owned by him or under his control
to defile, corrupt or otherwise desecrate any sidewalk, walkway or
the property of another or to destroy or damage the property.
D.
All owners keeping any animal shall remove all refuse, food and excrement
as often as necessary to prevent unpleasant odors and conditions that
would contribute to the introduction of rodents and other undesirable
filth on the property.
E.
Keeping of exotic animals prohibited.
(1)
It shall be unlawful for any person to own, possess, keep, harbor,
bring or have in one's possession an exotic animal or animals
within Township limits.
(2)
It shall be unlawful for the owner, possessor or any other person
in control of a lot, tract or parcel of land within Township limits
or any residence or business premises situated thereon to knowingly
permit any other person to be in possession of an exotic animal upon
the property, residence or premises.
(3)
No animal located in the Township prior to the enactment of this
chapter shall be exempt from the provisions of this chapter.
A.
The person or agency designated by the governing body of the Township
shall enforce the provisions of this chapter. Upon receipt of a complaint
that an animal is a public nuisance, the person or agency designated
by the governing body will investigate said complaint and, if found
to be legitimate, the person or agency designated by the governing
body shall authorize the seizure of the animal or animals.
B.
The person or agency designated by the governing body shall transport
the animal or animals to a proper location for holding such. If the
animal so apprehended bears any identification of ownership, the person
or agency shall, on the date of apprehension, notify the owner that
the animal has been apprehended and that it may be claimed at a designated
location.
C.
Any animal claimed by its owner during the custodial period shall
pay all costs for the care, necessary treatment and disposal of the
said animal.
D.
Any animal which has been seized pursuant to this chapter and which
has not been reclaimed during the custodial period may be disposed
of in a humane manner in accordance with standards generally followed
by the Humane Society.
If the owner of animals in violation of this chapter does not
comply with a notice to abate the violation which constitutes a nuisance
or health hazard within the time period described, the Township shall
have the authority to take measures to correct the conditions and
collect the costs of such correction plus 10% of such costs. The Township,
in such an event and pursuant to its statutory or otherwise authorized
police powers, shall have the rights and power to enter upon the offending
premises to accomplish the foregoing. The enforcement authority of
this provision shall contain the right to use all other enforcement
provisions of this chapter.
It shall be unlawful for any person to own, feed or harbor any
animal or animals which have been found to violate the provisions
of this chapter. Any person found to violate the provisions of this
chapter shall, upon conviction thereof, be sentenced to pay a fine
of not more than $1,000 and/or imprisonment for a term of not more
than 90 days. Each day that a violation of this chapter continues
shall constitute a separate offense. In addition, any vicious dog
which attacks a human being or another domestic animal may be ordered
destroyed by the police, an agent designated by the Township, a Magisterial
District Judge or the Court of Common Pleas, whatever the case may
be, if in its judgment such vicious dog represents a continuing threat
of serious harm to human beings or domestic animals. In addition,
any person found guilty of a violation shall pay all expenses, including
shelter, food, veterinary services and expenses necessitated by the
seizure of any dog for the protection of the public and such other
expenses as may be required for the destruction of any such dog.
