[Adopted 4-13-1981 by Ord. No. 235 (Ch. 3, Part 1, of the
1981 Code of Ordinances)]
[Amended 9-22-1986 by Ord. No. 364]
A.
ANIMAL
DOMESTIC ANIMAL
HOUSEHOLD PET
LARGE ANIMAL
PERSON
POULTRY
SMALL ANIMAL
WILD ANIMAL
The following words and terms, as used in this article, shall have
the meanings hereby respectively ascribed thereto, except where the
context clearly indicates a different meaning:
Any domestic animal or fowl, any wild animal or any household
pet.
Any animal as hereinafter defined as a household pet, a large
animal, a small animal or poultry.
[Amended 8-11-2014 by Ord. No. 775]
Any dog, cat, or other domestic animal normally and ordinarily
kept in or permitted to be at large in the dwelling of its owner,
not including poultry.
[Amended 8-11-2014 by Ord. No. 775]
Any domestic animal of the bovine, equine, sheep or hog family.
Any person, firm, partnership, association, or corporation.
Domesticated birds that serve as a source of eggs or meat,
including chickens, turkeys, geese, peafowl, pigeons and pheasants.
[Added 8-11-2014 by Ord. No. 775]
Any domestic animal such as a rabbit, hare, guinea pig, rat,
mouse, or chinchilla.
[Amended 8-11-2014 by Ord. No. 775]
Any animal, 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; not normally or ordinarily
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.
It shall be unlawful for any person to keep any wild animal
at any place within the Township, except where the same shall be permitted
under the Zoning Ordinance,[1] in a park, zoological garden, or similar establishment
for exhibit to the public or to any portion thereof.
[Amended 8-11-2014 by Ord. No. 775]
It shall be unlawful for any person to keep any domestic animals, except household pets as defined in § 119-20 herein, except as provided in this section.
A.
Large animals shall be confined in quarters, no part of which shall
be closer than 200 feet to the exterior limits of any dwelling or
any property line; with the exception that horses for personal use
on properties of two to less than 10 acres may be housed no closer
than 50 feet to the exterior limits of any dwelling or any property
line.[1]
B.
Small animals and poultry not housed in the dwelling of the owner
shall be confined in quarters, no part of which shall be closer than
25 feet to the exterior limits of any dwelling or any property line.
No more than six adult small animals or poultry may be housed on a
property; if there are more than six adult animals or if there are
roosters, then they must be housed, kept, raised and maintained on
"farm" properties, as defined and provided for in Chapter 27 of Peters
Township Code of Ordinances.[2]
C.
The keeper of every such domestic 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 conducive to good sanitation
practices and adequate and sanitary drainage facilities shall be provided.
D.
Every keeper of a small domestic animal shall cause the litter and
droppings therefrom to be collected daily in a container or receptacle
of such type that, when closed, it shall be ratproof and flytight,
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
a manner as not to permit the presence of fly larvae.[3]
E.
Storage of manure or odor or dust-producing substances shall not
be permitted within 200 feet of any property line.
F.
Every keeper of a domestic animal shall cause all feed provided therefor
to be stored and kept in a ratproof and flytight building box, container,
or receptacle.
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 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.
[Added 9-26-1986 by Ord. No. 364[1]]
It shall be unlawful for the owner of any animal to allow any
barking, howling, yelping or otherwise making noise continuously in
excess of 15 minutes or intermittently in excess of 30 minutes so
that such barking can be heard by persons outside of the property
of the owner of the animal; provided, however, that noise from an
animal due to someone threatening to or trespassing upon the property
upon which the animal is located or caused by teasing or mistreatment
of the animal by someone other than the owner, handler or custodian
or keeper of the animal shall not be considered a violation of this
section.
Any person who violates or permits a violation of this article
shall, upon being found liable therefor in a civil enforcement proceeding
commenced by the Township before a Magisterial District Judge, pay
a fine of not more than $600, plus all court costs, including reasonable
attorney's fees, incurred by the Township in the enforcement of this
article. If the defendant neither pays nor timely appeals the judgment,
the Township may enforce the judgment pursuant to the applicable Rules
of Civil Procedure. Each day a violation exists shall constitute a
separate offense. Further, the appropriate officers or agents of the
Township are hereby authorized to seek equitable relief, including
injunction, to enforce compliance herewith.
Any violation of this article that would also violate any state
law shall be prosecuted under that state law and not under this article.
