[Adopted 9-18-1973 by Ord. No. 4-73; amended in its entirety 2-21-1995 by Ord. No. 95-3 (Ch. 2, Part 1, of the 1995 Code of Ordinances)]
As used in this article, the following terms shall have the
meanings indicated, unless a different meaning clearly appears from
the context:
Any person having a right of property in any dog or having
custody of any dog, or any person who harbors or permits a dog to
remain on or around his or her property.
Being upon any public highway, street, alley, park, or any
other public land, or upon property of another person other than the
owner, and not being accompanied by or under the control of the owner
or any other person having custody of said dog.
An Animal Control Officer shall be appointed by the Board of
Supervisors to serve during its pleasure. Such Animal Control Officer
along with the police officers shall have concurrent responsibility
for the enforcement of this article and of the Dog Law of 1982, 3
P.S. § 459-101 et seq., as hereafter amended, supplemented,
modified or reenacted by the General Assembly of Pennsylvania, and
shall have all the powers and duties of an Animal Control Officer
under said Act; provided that he shall not have the power to make
arrests under this Act of Assembly or any other Act of Assembly or
ordinance of the Township of Warrington.
It shall be unlawful for the owner of any dog or dogs to allow
or permit such dog or dogs to run at large in the Township of Warrington.
The Animal Control Officer or any police officer or constable
may seize any dog found at large in the Township. Such dogs are to
be impounded in a licensed kennel.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General
Provisions, Art. I)]
The Animal Control Officer shall notify the owner of a licensed
dog by registered or certified mail, with return receipt, that the
dog is impounded and will be disposed of in five days if not claimed.
Five days after the return receipt has been received, and the dog
has not been claimed, the dog may be sold or destroyed in accordance
with the 1982 Dog Law.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: See 3 P.S. § 459-101 et seq.
Unlicensed dogs that are seized shall be held in such kennel
for 48 hours and if not claimed may be destroyed in accordance with
the 1982 Dog Law.
Dogs that, in the opinion of any police officer or Animal Control
Officer, constitute a threat to public health and welfare may be killed
by the police or Animal Control Officer.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General
Provisions, Art. I)]
The first two times a dog is seized, the owner shall pay a fine of $50 to the Township of Warrington as well as reasonable fees for keeping the animal in a kennel as fixed by a resolution of the Board of Supervisors. Any person allowing a dog to run at large a third time in violation of this article, upon conviction thereof in an action brought before a Magisterial District Judge in the manner provided for the enforcement of summary offenses under the Pennsylvania Rules of Criminal Procedure, shall be sentenced to pay 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 90 days. Each day that a violation of this article continues or each section of this article which shall be found to have been violated shall constitute a separate offense. This article may be enforced initially by violation ticket (citation); see Chapter 38, Ordinance Enforcement Procedures, Article II, Tickets for Certain Offenses.
