[Adopted 8-14-2025 by Ord. No. 2233]
As used in this article, the following terms have the meaning indicated, unless a different meaning clearly applies from the context:
ANIMAL RESCUE ORGANIZATION
Means a non-profit organization incorporated under the law of any state and exempt from federal taxation under Section 501(c)(3) of the federal Internal Revenue Code, as amended, and whose principal purpose is the prevention of cruelty to animals and whose principal activity is to rescue sick, injured, abused, neglected, unwanted, abandoned, orphaned, lost, or displaced animals and to adopt them to good permanent homes. "Animal rescue organization" shall not include any entity that breeds animals or that:
A. 
Is located on the same premises as;
B. 
Has any personnel in common with;
C. 
Obtains, in exchange for payment or any other form of compensation, dogs, or cats from; or
D. 
Facilitates the sale of dogs or cats obtained from a person that breeds animals.
ANIMAL SHELTER
Means either:
A. 
A facility maintained or operated by a non-profit organization incorporated under the law of any state and exempt from federal taxation under Section 501(c)(3) of the federal Internal Revenue Code, as amended, and whose principal purpose is the prevention of cruelty to animals and whose principal activity is to rescue sick, injured, abused, neglected, unwanted, abandoned, orphaned, lost, or displaced animals and to adopt them to good, permanent homes; or
B. 
A facility maintained, operated by, or under contract with a political subdivision of any state for the impoundment and care of seized, stray, homeless, abandoned, unwanted, or surrendered animals.
CAT
Means any member of the species Felis catus.
DOG
Means any member of the species Canis familiaris.
OFFER FOR SALE
Means to display or proffer for acceptance.
RETAIL PET STORE
Means a commercial establishment that sells or offers for sale animals on its premises. "Retail pet store" shall not include an animal shelter, an animal rescue organization, or an individual selling only animals that the individual has bred and raised.
SELL
Means to exchange for consideration, barter, trade, lease, or otherwise transfer.
A. 
It shall be unlawful for a retail pet store, as defined in this article, to sell, offer for sale, deliver, barter, auction, or transfer a dog or cat.
B. 
Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit a retail pet store from providing space to either an animal shelter or to an animal rescue organization, whether such shelter or organization is located within or outside the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, for the purposes of displaying dogs or cats available for adoption.
C. 
In the event that an animal shelter or animal rescue organization is determined by the Township of Abington to be substantially out of compliance with animal welfare standards, laws or regulations, the retail pet store displaying dogs and cats available for adoption will be precluded from offering animals from said organization until the organization's compliance is remediated to the satisfaction of the Township of Abington.
D. 
This section shall not apply to the display, sale, offer for sale, delivery, bartering, auction, giving away, or transfer of dogs and cats from the premises on which they were bred and reared.
A. 
A retail pet store that sells or offers for sale a dog or cat in violation of § 58-37 commits a violation punishable by a fine of $600. Each separate act of unlawful sale or offer for sale of any dog or cat shall constitute a separate and distinct offense.
B. 
The Police Department of the Township of Abington shall be empowered to enforce any and all parts of this Article VII upon notification of such violation.