Borough of Ben Avon, PA Animals

Part 1 CONTROL OF DOMESTIC PETS AND ANIMALS

[Ord. 687, 10/13/1998, § I]

Except as defined otherwise in this Part, words used in this Part shall have the meanings defined in the Dog Law of 1996, Act of December 11, 1996, P.L. 151, 3 P.S. 459-101 et seq.

§ 2-102 Prohibited Domestic Animals.

[Ord. 687, 10/13/1998, § II]

From and after the effective date of this Part, it shall be a public nuisance, and a violation of this Part, for any person to keep or harbor within the Borough any of the following domestic animals: equine animals; bovine animals; sheep, goats, pigs, poultry, fowl, mink or any wild or semi-wild animal maintained in captivity. These animals are hereafter referred to as "prohibited domestic animals."

§ 2-103 Permitted Domestic Animals.

[Ord. 687, 10/13/1998, § III]

From and after the date of this Part, it shall be lawful for any person to own, harbor and maintain the following animals as domestic pets: dogs (canis familiaris); cats (felis catus); confined hares, confined birds, confined rodents and confined reptiles. These animals are hereafter referred to as "permitted domestic animals." Nothing in this Part shall permit the keeping, breeding, and raising of such animals for sale.

§ 2-104 Control of Permitted Domestic Animals.

[Ord. 687, 10/13/1998, § IV]

No permitted domestic animal shall be permitted to run free within the Borough of Ben Avon: all permitted domestic animals on public property, and all permitted domestic animals on private property other than the property of the owner, shall be kept under restraint by the owner, or by the owner's agent or another responsible person, by a leash not to exceed eight feet in length affixed to a sturdy collar, or by a cage of sufficient material and strength to contain the animal. A permitted domestic animal may be permitted to be uncontrolled upon the property of the owner; provided, that a sturdy fence or other effective device is in place to isolate the animal within the exclusive premises of the owner.

The Borough may, by resolution from time to time, appoint an animal control officer or a company which provides animal control services under the Pennsylvania Dog Law or this Part.

Any permitted or unpermitted domestic animal found running uncontrolled within the Borough may be seized and detained in a pound selected by the Borough's animal control officer or contract control service. The animal control officer or employee of the contract control service shall notify the owner of the animal's seizure and confinement by certified United States Mail, postage prepaid, addressed to the owner's last known address. The owner may, upon payment of all costs and expenses associated with the seizure, care and control of the animal, retrieve a permitted domestic animal or an unpermitted domestic animal, further provided that adequate provision has been made to remove the unpermitted domestic animal from the Borough immediately. If the owner does not reclaim the animal and pay all costs of the seizure, care and control of the animal within (A) the time specified in the Dog Control Law, 3 P.S. § 459-101 et seq., or (B) within five calendar days after obtaining a postal return receipt from notice to the owner if the Dog Control Law does not apply, or (C) within five days after seizure if the owner of the animal cannot be identified after a reasonable, good faith effort; the animal may be destroyed by any humane method or sold for the benefit of the Borough. Whether or not the owner of the animal attempts to retrieve the animal, the owner of a domestic animal seized, detained and destroyed under this section or under the Dog Control Law shall be responsible for all expenses incurred by the Borough, which expenses may be collected by the Borough in any manner provided by law.

§ 2-105 Domestic Animal Noise.

[Ord. 687, 10/13/1998, § V]

No person shall own, possess, harbor or control any domestic animal which makes any noise continuously and/or incessantly for a period of 10 minutes or makes such noise intermittently for a period of 30 minutes or more which can be heard by the human ear at the property boundary at any time of the day or night, regardless of whether the animal or bird is physically situated upon private property. Any violation of this section is declared to be a nuisance; provided, however, that such noise shall not be a violation of this section if a person or persons are trespassing upon such private property in or upon which the animal or bird is situated at the time of the violation, or if there is any legitimate cause or provocation to the animal or bird.

§ 2-106 Domestic Animal Waste.

[Ord. 687, 10/13/1998, § VI]

Any person who owns or harbors, or has possession, custody or control of any domestic animal which defecates in or upon any public property or private property, other than the private property of the owner, commits a nuisance. Any person who owns or harbors, or has possession, custody or control of such a domestic animal shall immediately abate such nuisance by removing all feces deposited by such domestic animal by any sanitary method and by disposing of such feces in the owner's toilet or in a leakproof container in the owner's garbage and by cleaning the affected area.

All persons having possession, custody or control of a permitted domestic animal on any public property or private property other than the property of the owner, shall at all such times possess on their person a sanitary method to remove the animal's feces, which sanitary method shall be displayed to any police officer or animal control officer upon request.

The provisions of this section shall not apply to the owner of a guide dog accompanying a blind person.

§ 2-107 Other Nuisances.

[Ord. 687, 10/13/1998, § VII]

The following behaviors are declared to be nuisances which are violations of this Part subject to the penalties set forth below, and which may be abated by all methods provided under the law:

Any person who shall own, possess, harbor or control any domestic animal which scratches or digs upon any lawn, tree, shrub, plant, building or other public or private property, other than the property of the animal's owner or the other person harboring or in control or possession of such animal.

Any person who shall own, possess, harbor or control any domestic animal in a manner which produces an odor which can be detected by a person at the boundary of the property of the owner or the person harboring or in possession or control of such animal.

Any person who shall own, possess, harbor or control any domestic animal which jumps on passersby or chases motor vehicles, persons, bicycles or other domestic animals.

Any person who shall own, possess, harbor or control any unspayed or unneutered domestic animal which mates with another unspayed or unneutered domestic animal other than for breeding planned and specifically intended by the owners of the two animals.

§ 2-108 Enforcement.

[Ord. 687, 10/13/1998, § VIII]

Any police officer empowered to act in the Borough, and any animal control officer or employee of a company which provides animal control services appointed by the Borough to enforce this Part or the State Dog Law, 3 P.S. § 459-101 et seq., shall be authorized to enforce the provisions of this Part.

§ 2-109 Penalties.

[Ord. 687, 10/13/1998, § IX; as amended by Ord. 752, 1/17/2012]

Any person, firm or corporation who shall violate any provision of this Part, upon conviction thereof, shall be sentenced to a fine of not more than $1,000 plus costs and, in default of payment of said fine and costs, to a term of imprisonment not to exceed 30 days. Each day that a violation of this Part continues or each section of this Part which shall be found to have been violated shall constitute a separate offense.