The Borough of Steelton is empowered by § 1202(9)
of the Borough Code, 8 Pa.C.S.A. § 1202(9), to regulate
by ordinance the running at large of dogs, cats or other pets and,
in the enforcement of the regulations, to direct the seizure, detention
or killing of dogs, cats or other pets prescribing reasonable charges
for their seizure and detention, and to provide for their sale for
the benefit of the Borough in default of the redemption of the pet
by its owners. Section 1202(10) of the Borough Code, 8 Pa.C.S.A. § 1202(10),
enables the Borough to enact ordinances prohibiting or regulating
the keeping or running at large of livestock and fowls and any other
animals not above-described (dogs, cats or other pets) and authorizing
their seizure, detention or, in the case of unowned pigeons, humane
destruction. The ordinances enacted pursuant to the above provisions
shall not unreasonably interfere with any agriculture operation to
the extent prohibited by applicable state law. The Borough is authorized
to prohibit and remove nuisances on public or private grounds, and
to make regulations as may be necessary for the health, safety, morals,
general welfare and cleanliness and beauty, convenience, comfort and
safety of the Borough, by the authority of the following statutory
provisions: Borough Code, 8 Pa.C.S.A. § 1202(4) and (5).
The purpose of this chapter to promote health, safety and welfare
within the Borough by regulating the keeping or running at large of
dogs, cats or other pets, livestock and fowl, and any other animals,
domestic, wild or exotic, in Steelton Borough.
The following words and phrases when used in this chapter shall
have, unless the content clearly dictates otherwise, the meanings
given to them in this section:
ANIMAL OWNER
Includes, regardless of whether any such animal is licensed
or unlicensed:
A.
Every person having a right, proprietorship or ownership in
an animal.
B.
Every person who keeps or harbors an animal or has it in his
or her care or custody.
C.
Every person who permits an animal to remain on or about any
premises occupied by him or her.
D.
The parents of any child under 18 years of age who owns or has
the control and/or custody of an animal.
BOROUGH
The Borough of Steelton, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania.
DOMESTIC ANIMAL
Any animal or bird maintained as a domestic pet, including,
but not limited to, dogs, cats, rabbits, hamsters and birds.
EXOTIC OR WILD ANIMAL
Any animal of a species controlled by the laws of the Commonwealth
of Pennsylvania as a wild or exotic animal. The term shall include
any animal which is wild, fierce, dangerous, noxious, or naturally
inclined to do harm and shall include the wolf, fox, coyote, dingo,
all members of the cat family except commonly accepted domestic cats,
bears, weasels, raccoons, civets, subhuman primates, porcupines, skunks
except those which have been surgically altered and domesticated,
venomous snakes and lizards, alligators, crocodiles and venomous fish
and piranha.
NUISANCE
The unreasonable, unwarrantable or unlawful use of public
or private property which causes injury, damage, hurt, inconvenience,
annoyance or discomfort to any person in the legitimate enjoyment
of his or her reasonable rights or person or property.
OWNER
A person owning, leasing, occupying, or having charge of
any premises within the Borough.
PERSON
Any natural person, firm, partnership, association, corporation,
company or other legally recognized entity.
RUNNING AT LARGE
An animal being off the premises of its owner and not on
a leash, tether, chain, rope or similar device, the overall length
of which (including the handgrip) does not exceed six feet in length
and which is held by a person able to control such animal and not
left unattended on a leash, tether, chain, rope or similar device,
which is tied or otherwise fastened to any tree, parking meter, signpost
or other items within the public right-of-way of any street, alley
or other public property, unless while participating in an arranged
animal training class, trial or exhibition.
No person or corporation shall maintain, keep or possess within
the Borough any of the following animals, which classification shall
be broadly construed: horses, donkeys, burros, cows, pigs, goats,
sheep, ducks, chickens, geese, mice, monkeys, poultry, rats, rodents,
including moles, muskrats and squirrels, all snakes, swine, exotic
and wild animals.
No owner or keeper of a dog, cat or other domestic animal or
fowl shall abandon such animal or fowl.
The owner, keeper or harborer of any animal which damages or
destroys public or private property shall be held liable for the full
value of the property damaged or destroyed, in addition to any penalty
imposed for a violation of this chapter.
It is unlawful for any person or keep or maintain a dog, other
than those owned by a public law enforcement agency or its agents
and being used for training by such agency or agents within the Borough,
without obtaining a dog license from Dauphin County. All dogs shall
be vaccinated against rabies within four weeks after the date the
dog attains 12 weeks of age in accordance with the requirements of
Rabies Prevention and Control in Domestic Animals and Wildlife Act,
3 P.S. § 455.1 et seq.