[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Supervisors of Scott Township
as indicated in article histories. Amendments noted where applicable.]
[Adopted 7-23-1996 by Ord. No. 7-23-C-1996; amended in its entirety 6-21-2017 by Ord. No. 6-21-17C]
This article is being enacted in order to control the nuisances,
health and safety concerns, and inconvenience resulting from the presence
of dogs and other animals in the public and privately owned areas
of Scott Township and to further the general welfare and safety of
the people of Scott Township.
As used in this article, the following terms shall have the
meanings indicated:
Any person owning or having a right of property in a dog
or other animal, licensed or unlicensed, or any person having the
control or custody of any dog or other animal, or any person who harbors
or permits a dog or other animal to remain on his or her property.
A.
It shall be unlawful for the owner of a dog or other animal to knowingly
or negligently permit such dog or other animal to defecate upon any:
(1)
Private property of another person without the permission of the
property owner;
(2)
Gutter, street, driveway, alley, curb or sidewalk in the Township;
(3)
Public park, public area, play area, open space or green area of
the Township; or
(4)
Floors or stairways of any public building or other places accessible
to the public.
B.
The owner of a dog or other animal that defecates in any prohibited
area shall not be in violation of this section, provided the owner
immediately removes said feces from such surface and either carries
the same away for disposal in a toilet or other sanitary environmentally
safe manner, or places the same in a nonleaking container for deposit
in a trash or litter receptacle.
It shall be unlawful for an owner of any dog or other animal
to disturb the peace of another person(s) by allowing such dog or
other animal to bark, howl or make other loud noises: (a) continuously
for more than any one hour; or (b) continuously for more than 1/2
hour on two or more consecutive days.
The provisions of this article shall not apply to a guide, signal
or service dog or other aid animal that has been certified by a recognized
authority to assist a person, because of the physical disability,
blindness or deafness of the user, or who is training a guide, signal
or support dog or other aid animal for or from a recognized authority
for such a user, or to animals used in any police or fire activities
of the Township.
The Scott Township Police and Scott Township Code Enforcement
Officer shall have authority to determine if a violation of this article
has occurred and to impose fines, costs and penalties in accordance
with the provisions herein. All notices of violation shall include
an instruction that, if the person cited pays the fines, costs and
penalties stated on the notice of violation within 48 hours of the
issuance of the notice, the Township will forgo prosecution of the
violation.
Any person violating any provision of this article shall, upon
conviction thereof, forfeit and pay the sum of not less than $25,
which shall be recoverable before any Magisterial District Judge in
the same manner as provided for the enforcement of summary offenses
under the Pennsylvania Rules of Criminal Procedure. All fines and
penalties shall be forthwith paid to the Treasurer of Scott Township.
Each day's continuance of a violation of this article shall constitute
a separate offense.
