[Ord. 212, 5/9/1984]
It shall be the duty of every police officer of the Northampton
Township Police Department and/or person who may be designated by
said Township as Animal Control Officer to enforce all parts and sections
of this Part.
[Ord. 212, 5/9/1984]
It shall be the duty of every citizen or inhabitant of the Township
of Northampton who is the owner of any dog or at whose house or premises
any dog is harbored or kept to confine and secure such dog. Hereafter
it shall be unlawful for the owner of any dog or dogs or person at
whose home or premises any dog is harbored or kept, licensed or unlicensed,
to permit such dog to run at large, unaccompanied by the owner or
person keeping said dog in the Township of Northampton. The owner
or person keeping such dog shall be considered as accompanying the
dog only if such dog is on a leash of six feet or less.
[Ord. 212, 5/9/1984]
It shall be the duty of the Animal Control Officer and/or police
officer to seize and/or detain any such dog or dogs, whether they
are licensed or unlicensed, which are found running at large either
upon the public streets or highways of the Township of Northampton
or upon property other than that of the owner of such dog or dogs.
Before entering any private property to seize or detain any dog or
dogs found running at large, the Animal Control Officer and/or police
officer must first obtain permission of the owner of such property,
and if the owner cannot be found, the property owner will be notified
within 24 hours of seizing the animal.
[Ord. 212, 5/9/1984]
It shall be unlawful and is hereby declared to be a public nuisance
in the Township of Northampton for any person to keep, maintain or
allow to be kept or maintained upon premises under the control of
such person any animal which creates or causes audible noise or sound,
which is audible off the premises to such an extent that the sleep,
rest, quiet and repose of the residents of the community are disturbed
or interrupted during the day or night.
[Ord. 212, 5/9/1984]
It shall be the responsibility of dog owners to keep their dogs
from scratching, digging, defecating or urinating upon any lawns,
trees, shrubs, plants, buildings or any other public or private property,
excluding the property of the dog owner. The owner of any dog, in
the event that such dog defecates on any property other than that
of the owner, shall immediately remove and dispose of all feces so
deposited in a sanitary manner. Also, it is the responsibility of
the owner of any animal to property clean and otherwise maintain his
pounds, kennels, yards and other areas in which such animal is kept
to prevent the creation of any nuisance, health hazard or odor.
[Ord. 212, 5/9/1984]
It shall be unlawful to keep more than four dogs six months
of age or older on any premises, regardless of the number of owners;
provided, however, that this section shall not apply to any premises
for which a kennel license has been obtained pursuant to the Dog Law,
3 P.S. § 459-101 et seq.
[Ord. 212, 5/9/1984]
It shall be unlawful for any person to interfere with the Animal
Control Officer and/or police officer while engaged in the proper
performance of his duties.
[Ord. 212, 5/9/1984; as amended by Ord. 285, 2/22/1989; and by Ord. 561, 4/25/2012]
Any person, firm or corporation who shall violate any provision
of this Part, 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 Part continues
or each section of this Part which shall be found to have been violated
shall constitute a separate offense.
[Ord. 212, 5/9/1984]
No cattle, horses, mules, goats, sheep, swine or fowl shall be allowed to run at large within the limits of the Township of Northampton. The owner or person keeping any cattle, horses, mules, goats, sheep, swine or fowl who shall suffer them to run at large, or any other person found responsible, shall be subject to the penalty provided by § 2-205 of this Part.
[Ord. 567, 12/11/2013]
It is unlawful for any person to feed stray/homeless animals.
The presence of stray animals should be reported to the Northampton
Township Police Department or the Code Enforcement Department. Concerned
citizens may humanely trap stray animals and deliver them to an animal
control shelter.
[Ord. 212, 5/9/1984]
It shall be unlawful and is hereby declared to be a public nuisance
in the Township of Northampton for any person to keep, maintain or
allow to be kept or maintained upon premises under the control of
such person any animal or fowl which makes an audible noise or sound,
which is audible off the premises to such an extent that the sleep,
rest, quiet and repose of the residents of the community are disturbed
or interrupted.
[Ord. 212, 5/9/1984]
It shall be the responsibility of owners of animals and/or fowl
to keep their animals and/or fowl from scratching, digging, defecating
or urinating upon any lawns, trees, shrubs, plants, buildings or any
other public or private property, excluding the property of the owner.
The owner of any animal or fowl, in the event that such animal or
fowl defecates on any property other than that of the owner, shall
immediately remove and dispose of all feces so deposited in a sanitary
manner. Also, it is the responsibility of the owner of any animal
to properly clean and otherwise maintain his pounds, kennels, yards
and other areas in which such animal is kept to prevent the creation
of any nuisance, health hazard or odor.
[Ord. 212, 5/9/1984]
It shall be unlawful for any person to ride or drive horses
or other animals through any of the streets of the Township of Northampton
at any unreasonable or dangerous speed or in any manner which may
be reasonably considered reckless, offensive or hazardous to the animal
or a citizen.
[Ord. 212, 5/9/1984; as amended by Ord. 285 2/22/1989; by Ord. 561, 4/25/2012; and by Ord.
572, 9/17/2014]
1.
In the event of a violation of this Part, any police officer of the
Township of Northampton may present to the owner, tenant or occupant
a notice indicating the nature of the offense and bearing the statement
that no prosecution shall be instituted for 48 hours hereafter if,
during said forty-eight-hour period, the offender shall voluntarily
appear at the office of the Police Department of the Township of Northampton,
50 Township Road, Richboro, Pennsylvania 18954, and voluntarily enter
a plea of guilty and pay a penalty of $25 for the first offense, $50
for the second offense, and $75 for the third offense to the Township.
In the event such persons fail to comply with such notice, the offense
will thereafter be prosecuted and the penalty collected in a manner
prescribed by existing laws.
2.
Any person, firm or corporation who shall violate any provision of
this Part, 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 Part continues
or each Section of this Part which shall be found to have been violated
shall constitute a separate offense.
