[Ord. 649, 6/6/2016]
Residents may keep animals within the Township for noncommercial purposes subject to the following regulations.
[Ord. 632, 4/7/2014; as amended by Ord. 649, 6/6/2016]
For the purpose of this Part, the following terms shall be construed to have the meanings set forth in this Section:
An animal that an owner has forsaken entirely, neglected, refused to care for, or legally support.
Any of a kingdom (Animalia) of living things including insects, fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals, but excluding humans.
Any member of the bovine, caprine, equine, gallinaceous (except for Gallus gallus domesticus), ovine, or porcine, species, including but not limited to cows, steers, horses, ponies, pigs, sheep, goats and poultry (except chickens).
Any person having the right of property in any animal or having control of or custody of any animal, or any person who harbors or permits an animal to remain on or around his or her property.
Continuous or incessant noise for a period of 15 minutes, odors, vectors, dust, vibrations, or excretion of bodily waste beyond owner’s or renter’s property.
An animal listed by and requiring an ownership permit from the Pennsylvania Game Commission. (Prohibited.)
An animal that is kept for pleasure rather than utility and which may be kept inside or outside of the dwelling.
A domesticated animal that is kept for pleasure and is kept outside of the dwelling.
An animal that is kept for pleasure that is not a customary household pet, nor of a domesticated variety, provided that it is not otherwise prohibited by law and is kept inside the dwelling.
An unrestrained animal upon a public highway, street, alley, park or any other public land or upon property of another person other than the owner. This shall include, but not be limited to, chasing motor vehicles or bicycles, or harassing any person in such a manner as to cause intimidation or apprehension of bodily harm.
Restraining a domestic animal by tying it to any object or structure by any means, not to include using a handheld leash for the purpose of walking the animal.
An animal not wearing a leash or other harness providing control by the owner or custodian responsible for the animal’s behavior. Does not apply to cats.
[Ord. 649, 6/6/2016]
It shall be unlawful to keep livestock (except for chickens) in any but the institutional district (see §27-404.3).
[Ord. 632, 4/7/2014; as amended by Ord. 649, 6/6/2016]
No animal shall be permitted to run at large (except cats).
[Ord. 632, 4/7/2014; as amended by Ord. 649, 6/6/2016]
No owner shall allow any animal to make any loud or harsh noise continuously or repeatedly which would constitute a nuisance, and interfere with or deprive the peace, quiet, rest or sleep of any person within the Township; provided, that at the time the animal is making such noise, no person is trespassing or threatening to trespass on property on which the animal is situated, or otherwise provoking the animal to make noise.
It shall be unlawful for any person to continue to own, harbor, possess or otherwise keep an offensively noisy animal, which shall be defined as one which has caused its owner or custodian to be cited and convicted of more than two violations of this Section.
[Ord. 632, 4/7/2014; as amended by Ord. 649, 6/6/2016]
No owner shall allow any animal to defecate on any property not owned or leased by this owner unless such defecation is removed immediately and subsequently disposed of in the trash or a toilet.
[Ord. 649, 6/6/2016]
All animals which are capable of contracting rabies shall be vaccinated against this disease by a licensed veterinarian in accordance with the recommendations for immunization in the Rabies Prevention and Control in Domestic Animals and Wildlife Act of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The owner of the animal must provide proof of current rabies vaccination upon request of the Township.
[Ord. 632, 4/7/2014; as amended by Ord. 649, 6/6/2016]
Any domestic animal (except cats; see §2-304) running at large or otherwise not in the control or under the restraint of its owner or custodian may be captured by a police officer of the Township or other duly authorized employee or contractor of the Township. Any animal so captured shall be humanely boarded and dealt with in accordance with the laws and regulations of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The owner or custodian of any domestic animal so captured shall be in violation of the terms of this Section and may be so cited, and shall be liable for all of the costs of the capture, boarding and disposition of the animal.
Notice of the capture, either personally or by phone, shall be given to the person in whose name the license, if any, for the animal is procured, or his agent, or to the owner, if known. An animal so detained and not reclaimed following this notice will be transported to the Humane Society of Lebanon County, or other contracted agency, where the owner may retrieve it according to the policies in place at that agency.
[Ord. 649, 6/6/2016]
It shall be unlawful for any person or persons, whether the owner of the animal or not, to mistreat, abuse or to cause bodily injury to any domestic animal or otherwise to inhumanely dispose of such animal. For purposes of this Section, mistreatment shall include, but not be limited to, not providing for the proper care, shelter, feeding and medical treatment of a domestic animal by its owner or custodian.
[Ord. 632, 4/7/2014; as amended by Ord. 649, 6/6/2016]
Unclaimed animals shall become the property of the Humane Society of Lebanon County, or other contracted agency, with further disposition according to their policies.
[Ord. 649, 6/6/2016]
Any animal running at large or unrestrained by its owner or custodian that, in the judgment of a duly appointed police officer of the Township, or other authorized official, poses a threat to the life or physical well-being of any person or persons may be destroyed as humanely as possible by the officer when, in the judgment of the officer, capture or containment of the animal is not possible without further risking the health and safety of the public or of the officer.