[Adopted 3-5-2008 by Ord. No. 1231]
The following regulations shall apply to all owners of domesticated
animals in Lansdowne Borough:
A. Confinement of animals to be humane.
(1) No animal shall be confined in a cage which has a wire bottom. All
cages shall have a solid bottom and be free of hazardous materials,
waste and contaminants.
(2) Temporary enclosures must be large enough for the animal to stand
up, turn around and lay down.
(3) Permanent enclosures must be the greater of at least 24 square feet
for dogs and nine square feet for cats, or twice the length and twice
the width of the animal.
(4) Animal waste including bodily fluids, food waste, soiled bedding,
dead animals, garbage and water that is dirty and no longer potable
shall be removed from all areas of the housing facility and disposed
of on a daily basis to minimize or prevent contamination and disease
risks to the animals. Where water is removed, the operator shall immediately
provide new potable water to the animal.
B. Water and food. All animals are to be provided with adequate food
and drinking water. Fresh water must be provided daily and must be
protected from freezing.
C. Shelter. Any animal kept outside shall be provided with adequate
shelter in order to protect it from the elements.
(1) Outside shelters must be large enough for the animal to stand up,
turn around and lie down but small enough for the animal to maintain
warmth with body heat.
(2) Entrances should be offset or covered with a flap to protect the
animal from the elements.
(3) Indoor and outdoor housing facilities for dogs shall be maintained
in a manner to protect the dogs from injury, insure the sanitary conditions,
and to contain the dogs.
(4) The interior building surfaces of housing facilities shall be constructed
and maintained so that they are water-resistant and may be readily
sanitized. Outdoor facilities shall be constructed in a manner to
allow them to be readily sanitized, to assure the animals have a mud-free
area and to assure there is no standing or pooled water.
(5) Housing facilities and primary enclosures for animals shall be constructed
so that they are structurally sound, kept in good repair at all times
and provide for the health, safety, welfare and comfort of the animals.
(6) The interior surfaces of all primary enclosures must be free of rust,
jagged edges and sharp points or any object which may cause harm or
injury to the animal.
(7) An animal may not be housed on a temporary or permanent basis in
a drum or barrel dog house, regardless of the material of which the
drum or barrel is constructed. Metal barrels, drums, cars, refrigerators,
freezers or like materials may not be used as primary enclosures or
shelter structures.
D. Tethers. If tethers are used to confine a dog, they shall be placed
or attached so that the dog cannot become entangled with other objects
or come into physical contact with other dogs and to allow the dog
to roam to the full range of the tether. The tether must be of a type
commonly used for the size dog involved and be attached to the dog
by means of a well-fitted collar or body harness that will not cause
trauma or injury to the dog. The tether must be a minimum of six feet
long or at least five times the length of the dog as measured from
the tip of its nose to the base of its tail, whichever is longer,
and must allow the dog convenient and unfettered access to the dog
house, permanent shade area and food and water containers.
A. No person shall intentionally, knowingly, recklessly, or negligently
allow a dog to engage in dog fighting on public or private property.
B. No owner of private property shall be allowed to use their real estate
for the purposes of dog fighting.
C. The penalty for violation of this section shall be a fine not to
exceed $1,000 or 30 days imprisonment per violation. Each fight between
any dog and another animal shall be deemed a separate violation.