[HISTORY: Adopted by the City of Council of the City of 9-8-1976 by Ord. No. 17-1976 (Art. 705 of the 1978 Codified Ordinances). Amendments noted where applicable.]
[Amended 9-21-1977 by Ord. No. 22-1977; 8-21-1991 by Ord. No. 8-1991]
DANGEROUS DOG
The determination of whether a dog is dangerous, as well as the rules and regulations governing their treatment, shall be in accordance with the provisions set forth in the State's Dangerous Dog Act found at 3 P.S. § 459-501-A through § 459-507-A.
KENNEL
Means any establishment wherein dogs are kept for the purpose of breeding, hunting, training, renting, research or vivisection, buying, boarding, sale, show or any other similar purpose and is so constructed that dogs cannot stray therefrom.
OWNER
When applied to the proprietorship of a dog, includes every person having a right of property in such dog, and every person who keeps or harbors such dog or has it in his care, and every person who permits such dog to remain on or about any premises occupied by him.
PERSONS
Includes local officials or employees, individuals and dog control officers. Singular words include the plural. Masculine words include the feminine and the neuter.
The provisions of this chapter shall be enforced by the Director of the Department of Public Safety and/or his agent(s).
[Amended 9-21-1977 by Ord. No. 22-1977; 8-21-1991 by Ord. No. 8-1991; 10-9-1991 by Ord. No. 10-1991]
A. 
No person shall own, keep or harbor any dog within the City limits unless such dog is licensed as required by Act No. 437 (1965) by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth or its amendments.
B. 
Other than as set forth in Subsection D hereof, no person shall do any of the following:
(1) 
Own, keep or harbor more than two dogs within the City limits, excepting puppies under three months old, in or on the premises of any dwelling unit within the City, unless the zoning lot upon which dogs are kept have a minimum area of 4,000 square feet for each dog kept on such zoning lot regardless of the number of persons keeping or harboring dogs on such lot;
(2) 
Regularly keep or harbor more than two dogs outside of a fully enclosed structure between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m.; or
(3) 
Regularly keep or harbor one or more puppies under the age of three months outside of a dwelling unit.
C. 
Unless a waiver has been granted pursuant to Subsection C(2) hereof, compliance with the terms of this section shall be as follows:
(1) 
All persons who own, keep, harbor or possess more than the permitted number of dogs as specified in Subsection B hereof, shall have 90 days from the adoption of this act to comply with the provisions of this section prior to the institution or imposition of any penalties for the violation hereof.
(2) 
All persons who own and have in their possession more than the permitted number of dogs as specified in Subsection B hereof, may within 90 days from the adoption of this amendment, apply in writing to Council for a waiver of the provisions of Subsection B(1) hereof which limits the number of dogs within a dwelling unit. The dog owner applying for such waiver shall produce such proof as Council may require, including but not limited to, proof that the dogs have current vaccinations, current dog licenses, as well as, produce a letter from adjacent neighbors indicating that they have no objection to the presence of the dogs. The applicant shall further produce a current picture of each dog which indicates its name, age and weight. Any waivers granted by Council hereunder shall, unless otherwise revoked, be limited to the life of the then existing dogs in the applicant's household. No dog for whom a waiver is given shall be replaced upon that dog's death or removal from the household. Council may, following a hearing, revoke any waiver given hereunder when, in their opinion, the dog owner has neglected or failed to comply with obligations hereunder to maintain current vaccinations and licensing or for such other good cause as Council may determine in the interest of public health, safety and welfare.
D. 
Any person or persons who owns, keeps or operates a kennel, with more than two dogs but less than a cumulative total of 26 in any calendar year, shall obtain a kennel license. Such license shall be issued by the Department of Public Safety after zoning approval by the Zoning Officer of the City. The fee for the City's kennel permit shall be $500 per calendar year. Such kennel shall meet all requirements of the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture and this chapter. Violations of State regulations or this chapter shall subject the kennel license to revocation. All veterinarian hospitals are exempt from the above fee.
Upon complying with the provisions of § 140-3, every owner is required to see that the current license tag is securely fastened to the dog's chain, collar or harness. Such license tag must be worn by the dog at all times, unless the dog, accompanied by the owner, is engaged in hunting or other sport where a collar might endanger the dog's safety.
[Amended 5-13-1981 by Ord. No. 15-1981]
A. 
The owner shall keep his dog under restraint at all times and shall not permit such dog to be at large, off the premises or property of the owner, unless on a leash and under the control of a competent person.
B. 
No owner of any dog shall permit such dog to injure any human being by biting, jumping on, knocking down or attacking such human being.
C. 
No owner of any dog shall permit such dog to scatter, spill or otherwise disturb any household trash set out or placed for pickup.
A. 
Unlicensed dogs, or dogs found running at large shall be taken up by the appropriate enforcement official as designated by the Director of the Department of Public Safety and impounded in the shelter designated as the City Animal Shelter, or any other suitable place and there confined in a humane manner for a period up to two days; and may thereafter be disposed of in a humane manner if not claimed. Dogs not claimed after the expiration of two days shall become the property of the Bureau of Health of the City and may be disposed of at the discretion of the appropriate enforcement officers, except as hereinafter provided in the case of licensed dogs.
B. 
The appropriate enforcement officers may transfer title of all animals held by it at its shelter to the Humane Society after the legal detention period has expired and the animal has not been claimed.
C. 
The owner of any unlicensed dog shall be entitled to resume possession of such dog only upon compliance with the licensing provisions of § 140-3 and upon the payment of all impounding fees as per § 140-9, all reasonable expenses and any fines which may be assessed.
A. 
The appointed enforcement officer shall cause any dog bearing a proper license tag and seized while running at large to be detained, properly kept and fed, and shall cause immediate notice, either personal or by registered mail, to be given to the person in whose name the license was procured, or his agent, to claim such dog within 10 days. The owner of a dog so detained shall pay the impounding fees as per § 140-9 and all reasonable expenses incurred before the dog is returned, plus any fines which may be assessed.
B. 
Any dog impounded under the provision of this chapter and not reclaimed by its owner within 10 days, may be humanely destroyed by the appropriate enforcement officers, and/or have its title transferred to the Humane Society.
In the event that the appropriate enforcement officer for any reason is unable to impound either a licensed or unlicensed dog, as set forth in §§ 140-6 and 140-7 hereof, he shall cite the owner or owners of such dog for violation of this chapter as set forth herein.
A. 
Any dog impounded hereunder may be reclaimed as herein provided upon payment by the owner to the City, the sum of $7.50 for each night such dog is kept, plus any additional expenses which may be incurred. All fees set forth herein shall be paid to the City Treasurer, or his designated agent.
B. 
The above impoundment fees are to be levied against the dog owner of record, or the known dog owner, regardless of whether the dog is reclaimed or disposed of.
C. 
Cost fees of $7.50 per night are the minimal cost fee permitted. Cost fees will include all reasonable expenses incurred in the detention of a dog. Fees are subject to change as cost to the City changes.
[Amended 8-21-1991 by Ord. No. 8-1991]
A. 
Dangerous dog. It is unlawful for an owner of a dangerous dog to permit the dog to be outside the proper enclosure unless the dog is muzzled and restrained by a substantial chain or leash and under physical restraint of a responsible person. The muzzle shall be made in a manner that shall not cause injury to the dog or interfere with its vision or respiration but shall prevent it from biting any person or animal or from destroying property with its teeth.
B. 
Female dogs in heat. Every female dog in heat shall be kept as follows:
(1) 
Confined to the owner's property or in a veterinary hospital or boarding kennel, in such manner that such female dog cannot come in contact with another dog; or
(2) 
Firmly secured by means of a collar and chain or other device so that it cannot stray beyond the premises on which it is secured; or
(3) 
Under the reasonable control of some person.
C. 
Any animal described in this section, found at large, shall be impounded by the appropriate enforcement officers and may not be redeemed by owners, unless such redemption be authorized.
A. 
Every dog which bites a person shall be promptly reported to the appropriate enforcement officers who shall cause the owner of such dog to:
(1) 
Have the dog examined by a veterinarian immediately for rabies. The dog owner shall deliver the veterinarian's health certificate to the appropriate enforcement officer's office immediately.
(2) 
Have the dog securely quarantined at the directions of the appropriate enforcement officers for a period of 10 days, and such dog shall not be released from such quarantine except by written permission of the appropriate enforcement officers. At the discretion of the appropriate officers, such quarantine may be on the premises of the owner, at the shelter designated as the City Animal Shelter, or in a veterinary hospital.
(3) 
After the 10 days another examination must be made by a veterinarian and the veterinarian's health certificate must be delivered by the dog owner to the appointed health officer's office immediately.
(4) 
All examinations and quarantine cost are to be at the dog owner's expense.
(5) 
In the cases of stray animals, or in the cases of animals whose ownership is not known, such quarantine shall be at the shelter designated as the City Animal Shelter.
(6) 
Upon demand made by the appropriate enforcement officer, the owner shall forthwith surrender any dog which has bitten a human, or which is suspected of having been exposed to rabies, for supervised quarantine which expense shall be borne by the owner, and such dog may be reclaimed by the owner if adjudged free of rabies, upon payment of fees set forth in § 140-9, and upon compliance with licensing provisions set forth in § 140-3.
B. 
When an animal under quarantine has been diagnosed as being rabid, or suspected by a licensed veterinarian as being rabid, and dies while under such observation, the appropriate enforcement officer shall immediately send the head of such animal to the appropriate health department for pathological examination, and shall notify the proper public health officer of reports of human contacts, and the diagnosis made of the suspected animal.
C. 
When a laboratory report, either preliminary or final, gives a positive diagnosis of rabies, the Health Officer for the City shall declare a City-wide quarantine for a period of 30 days, and upon the invoking of such quarantine, no dog or other animal shall be permitted to be at large except on a leash and accompanied by a responsible person during such period of quarantine. During such quarantine, no animal may be taken or shipped from the City without permission of the appropriate enforcement officer. During this quarantine period and as long afterward as he decides it is necessary to prevent the spread of rabies, the local Health Officer shall require all dogs, three months of age and older, to be vaccinated against rabies with a canine rabies vaccine approved by the Biologics Control Section of the United States Department of Agriculture.
(1) 
The types of approved canine anti-rabies vaccine to be used and the recognized duration of immunity for each shall be established by the local Health Officer. All vaccinated dogs shall be restricted by leashing or confinement on enclosed premises for 30 days after vaccination. During the quarantine period, the local Health Officer shall be empowered to provide for a program of mass immunization by the establishment of temporary emergency canine rabies vaccination clinic(s) strategically located throughout the City.
(2) 
No such dog which has been impounded by reason of its being a stray, unclaimed by its owner, is allowed to be adopted by the Animal Shelter during the period of rabies emergency quarantine except by special authorization of the Health Officer.
D. 
During such period of rabies quarantine as herein mentioned, every animal bitten by an animal adjudged to be rabid, shall be forthwith destroyed, or at the owner's expense and option:
(1) 
Animals which have been vaccinated for rabies, and whose vaccination is still considered medically valid, e.g., a dog having received a rabies vaccination within the past two years and a cat, one year, must be vaccinated and quarantined for three months under professional veterinary supervision.
(2) 
Unvaccinated animals bitten by a rabid animal must be vaccinated and quarantined for six months under professional veterinary supervision.
E. 
In the event there are additional positive cases of rabies occurring during the period of the quarantine, such period of quarantine may be extended for an additional three months.
F. 
No person shall kill, or cause to be killed, any rabid animal, any animal suspected of having been exposed to rabies, or any animal biting a human, except as herein provided, nor remove same from the City limits without written permission from the Health Officer.
G. 
The carcass of any dead animal exposed to rabies shall upon demand be surrendered to the appropriate enforcement officer.
H. 
The Health Officer shall direct the disposition of any animal found to be infected with rabies.
I. 
No person shall fail or refuse to surrender any animal for quarantine or destruction as required herein when demand is made thereof by the appropriate enforcement officer.
J. 
Vaccination of animals against rabies.
(1) 
It shall be the duty of each owner of an animal in the City within 45 days after the passage of this section to have his animal vaccinated against rabies, or to establish, by a valid vaccination certificate, that such animal has heretofore been duly vaccinated, and that the period of immunity for rabies afforded thereby has not expired. It shall be the duty of each such owner to have his animal revaccinated at the interval of time, and with the specified vaccine licensed by the United States Department of Agriculture for the particular type of animal, every two years for dogs, every one year for cats.
(2) 
The burden of proof for current rabies vaccination rests solely upon the owner of the animal.
(3) 
Unvaccinated animals acquired or moved into the City shall be vaccinated within 30 days after arrival, or if under five months of age, shall be vaccinated within 30 days after reaching that age.
(4) 
Animals temporarily brought into this City, and remaining here less than 30 days, if properly confined, need not be vaccinated unless required by any of the foregoing regulations, or by the health laws of Pennsylvania.
K. 
Reports of bite cases. It shall be the duty of every physician, or other practitioner, to report to the Health Officer the names and addresses of persons treated for bites inflicted by animals, together with such other information as will be helpful in rabies control.
L. 
Responsibilities of veterinarians. It shall be the duty of every licensed veterinarian to report to the appropriate enforcement officer his diagnosis of any animal observed by him as rabies suspect.
M. 
Exemptions.
(1) 
Hospitals, clinics and other premises operated by licensed veterinarians for the care and treatment of animals are exempt from the provisions of this chapter, except where such duties are expressly stated.
(2) 
The licensing and vaccination requirements of this chapter shall not apply to any dog belonging to a nonresident of the City and kept within the City for not longer than 30 days provided all such dogs shall at all times while in the City be kept within a building, enclosure or vehicle, or be under restraint by the owner, except any provision of this chapter dealing with rabies and rabies quarantine.
A. 
For the purpose of discharging the duties imposed by this chapter and to enforce its provisions, the appropriate enforcement officer is empowered to demand proof from a dog owner that his dog is licensed.
B. 
The burden of proof of the fact that a dog has been licensed or has been imported for breeding trial or show purposes or that the dog is under the age of six months shall be on the owner of such dog.
C. 
Any dog not bearing a license tag shall prima-facie be deemed to be unlicensed.
A. 
No person shall interfere with any officer or agent in the enforcement of this chapter.
B. 
No person shall forcibly cut the leash or take a dog away from such officer having it in his possession when such dog is found running at large.
C. 
No person to whom a licensed certificate has been issued shall fail or refuse to produce the license certificate for such dog upon the demand of the appropriate enforcement officer.
A. 
It shall be the duty of the appropriate enforcement officer to keep, or cause to be kept, accurate and detailed records of the licensing, impoundment and disposition of all dogs coming into his custody.
B. 
It shall be the duty of the appropriate enforcement officer to keep, or cause to be kept, accurate and detailed records of all bite cases reported to him and the investigation of same.
A. 
No person shall allow their dog(s) to bark where such dog barking, howling, etc., becomes a nuisance.
B. 
The person(s) complaining of the dog barking must sign a private complaint with the local district Justice of the Peace naming the offending dog owner.
A. 
Attack-trained dogs are a potential hazard to the community. These dogs are not pets, and shall, under no circumstances, be permitted loose upon the City. It shall be the duty of a police officer to destroy any loose dog he has reason to believe is a loose, attack-trained dog.
B. 
Attack-trained dogs must be confined in a secured building. Where the dog is to be used to prowl an exterior area, that area must be securely fenced by a cyclone-type fencing, or fence of similar confinement qualities at least eight feet high.
C. 
Should it be necessary to transport an attack-trained dog outside of a secured compound, as in Subsection B hereof, such dog must be securely leashed and muzzled, except where the Mayor deems it necessary in the performing of police functions for the protection of the community.
[Amended 4-1-1981 by Ord. No. 12-1981]
A. 
No dog owner and/or a person having possession, custody or control of a dog shall allow such dog to defecate upon any gutter, street, driveway, alley, curb or sidewalk in the City, or upon floors or stairways of any building or place frequented by the public or used in common by the tenants, or upon the outside walls, walkways, driveways, alleys, curbs or stairways of any building abutting on the public street or park or upon the grounds of any public park, public area, or upon private property other than the property of the owner.
B. 
Any dog owner or a person having possession, custody or control of a dog which defecates in any area other than the private property of the owner of such dog as prohibited in Subsection A hereof shall be required to immediately remove the feces from such surfaces and either:
(1) 
Carry same away for deposit in a toilet; or
(2) 
Place same in a nonleaking container for deposit in a trash or litter receptacle.
C. 
Exception. The provisions of this section shall not apply to a guide dog accompanying any blind persons or to a dog used to assist any other physically handicapped person, or to animals used in any police or fire activities of the City.
D. 
No dog owner shall allow dog defecation to accumulate on his property to the point it becomes a health hazard and/or public nuisance.
[Amended 12-28-1977 by Ord. No. 34-1977]
A. 
No person shall keep and slaughter horses, cows, calves, swine, sheep, goats and other animals or fowl deemed objectionably by the Department of Public Safety, in any dwelling, rooming house, or any part thereof.
B. 
No animal or fowl mentioned in this section shall be kept in any yard, lot, or the property adjoining, in closely built-up sections, without the person desiring to keep the same first obtaining a permit from the Department of Public Safety.
C. 
The application for a permit required by Subsection B hereof shall be accompanied by a fee of $50. Such permit when granted shall expire at the end of the fiscal year on April 30.
A. 
No person shall permit any cattle, horses, sheep, swine, goats or other animals to run at large within the City.
B. 
It shall be the duty of every police officer to impound any such animal running at large, and to seize and detain any such animal.
C. 
The Director of the Department of Public Safety or his designated agent shall give notice to the owners of impounded animals personally, by registered mail or by posting in at least three public places in the City, describing fully the animals so impounded, and requiring such owners to reclaim them within a time limit as specified in such notice.
D. 
If any animal impounded under this section is not reclaimed within the time specified, the Director of the Department of Public Safety or his designated agent shall order the sale or disposition of such animal as determined by the Mayor.
E. 
If any animal impounded pursuant to this section is reclaimed, the owner shall pay the expenses of impounding and keeping the same previous to the delivery of such animals, in addition to any fine for criminal violation.
[Amended 11-24-1992 by Ord. No. 14-1992]
A. 
All coops or other enclosures for the keeping of ducks, geese, chickens, pigeons and other poultry or fowl are prohibited within the City.
B. 
Any ducks, geese, chickens or other poultry running at large in the City shall be subject to confiscation, and their owners or the person having charge of the same shall be liable to prosecution.
C. 
Any person who routinely feeds ducks, geese, chickens, pigeons or other poultry or fowl shall be deemed to be the owner with full responsibility where such feeding creates a nuisance within the City.
[Amended 5-13-1981 by Ord. No. 15-1981]
The Director of the Department of Public Safety and/or his agents are hereby authorized to do upon any premises and enter any building to seize and detain any dog which has been found running at large unaccompanied by the owner or keeper, when such agent is in the immediate pursuit of any such dog.
[Amended 11-24-1992 by Ord. No. 14-1992]
A. 
It shall be unlawful for any person to:
(1) 
Own, keep or harbor more than two cats within the City, excepting kittens under three months old, in or on the premises of any dwelling unit within the City.
(2) 
Have any cat which becomes a nuisance in the City. Acts of nuisance shall include, but are not limited to the following:
(a) 
Viciousness; and
(b) 
Frequent digging into flower beds, lawns, gardens or depositing of feces or urine, and or otherwise damaging lawns or landscape of premises, personal property or other property not belonging to the owner of the cat.
B. 
Any person who keeps or harbors a cat by allowing the cat to remain, be lodged or fed within a building, enclosure or yard or maintains a cat in one's custody or control shall be deemed to be the owner of the cat with full responsibility.
C. 
Any person who violates any provision of this section shall upon conviction before a District Justice be fined according to the penalty provisions of § 140-24C.
[Amended 12-28-1977 by Ord. No. 34-1977; 6-6-1990 by Ord. No. 4-1990; 8-21-1991 by Ord. No. 8-1991]
A. 
Whoever violates any provision of §§ 140-1 to 140-18 shall, upon conviction in a summary proceeding, be fined not more than $1,000 and, in default of payment thereof, shall be imprisoned not more than 90 days.
B. 
Each violation of each section of this chapter or subsection thereof, shall be considered a separate offense; if such violation continues for more than one day (24 hours), each day's violation shall be a separate offense.
C. 
Any person who violates any provision of §§ 140-19 to 140-22, or any provision of any rule or regulation adopted by the Director of Public Safety pursuant to the authority granted to him by this chapter shall, upon conviction before a District Justice of the Peace, be fined not less than $10 nor more than $300 or in default thereof be imprisoned for not less than 10 days nor more than 30 days. Each day's failure to comply with a direction or order of the Director shall constitute a separate violation.