[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Supervisors of the Township of
Upper Providence 3-7-1977 by Ord. No. 184.
Amendments noted where applicable.]
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings
indicated:
Any and all types of animals, both domesticated and wild, male and
female and singular and plural, provided that nothing herein shall apply to
dogs, cats, fish or other animals commonly considered domestic pets if they
are principally sheltered and kept inside a human dwelling unit.
Off the premises of the owner or custodian of the animal or fowl
and not under the immediate control of the owner or custodian.
Any and all fowl, domesticated and wild, male and female and singular
and plural, provided that nothing herein shall apply to birds kept principally
as pets and principally fed and sheltered inside a human dwelling unit.
The Township Manager, Code Enforcement Officer or their authorized
agent.
Refers to any person, firm or corporation owning or actually keeping,
having, using or maintaining any of the animals referred to on a tract of
five acres or less.
Includes any individual, firm or corporation.
A state of being constructed so as to effectively prevent the entry
of rats.
Any condition of good order and cleanliness which precludes the probability
of disease transmission.
No person owning or having in his custody animals or fowl shall so maintain
said animals or fowl in such a manner as to create any obnoxious or foul odor
therefrom, except to the minimum practical extent inherent in the nature of
said animal or fowl.
A.Â
Any person owning or having in his custody animals or
fowl on a tract of less than five acres shall meet the following standards:
(1)Â
Animals and fowl shall be provided with a shelter having
a roof and at least three enclosed sides and be contained within a fenced
area with:
(3)Â
Lot coverage.
(a)Â
The total fenced and shelter area shall not cover more
than 10% of the total lot area for the keeping of horses, ponies, mules, donkeys,
cows or other animals of similar size.
(b)Â
The total fenced and shelter area shall not cover more
than 3% of the total lot area for dogs, cats or other animals of similar size.
(c)Â
The total fenced area and shelter area shall not cover
more than 1/2 of 1% of the total lot area for fowl.
B.Â
Every keeper shall provide a shelter and area of a size
sufficient for good sanitation practices and adequate and sanitary drainage
therefor.
C.Â
Every keeper shall cause the litter and droppings therefrom
to be collected daily in a container or receptacle of such type that, when
closed, it is ratproof and flytight and after each such collection shall cause
such container or receptacle to be kept closed. At least twice a week, each
keeper shall cause all litter and droppings so collected to be disposed of
in a way as not to permit the presence of fly larvae.
D.Â
Every keeper shall cause all feed provided therefor to
be stored and kept in a ratproof and flytight building, box, container or
receptacle.
E.Â
The premises shall be subject to inspection by the health
officer or any of his representatives at any reasonable hour of the day.
No person owning or having in his custody animals or fowl shall permit
the same to go at large to the injury or annoyance of others, nor shall such
animals or fowl be permitted at large upon the streets or other public ways
of the township. Such action is declared to be a nuisance and dangerous to
the public health and safety.
Any person finding any animal or fowl upon his property to his injury
or annoyance may take up the same and remove it to any private or other animal
shelter that will take possession of it. If no such shelter is available,
he may hold the animal or fowl in his own possession and as soon as possible
notify a township police officer of this custody, giving a description of
the animal or fowl and the name of the owner, if known.
If the officer has or with reasonable dispatch can obtain the name of
the owner or custodian of the animal, he will return it to the residence address.
He will then secure or cause to be secured and serve or cause to be served
a complaint on the owner or custodian for violation of this chapter.
Any officer or designated person picking up an animal or fowl, who,
after reasonable diligence, is unable to find who owns or has custody of it,
may take it to the nearest animal hospital or shelter and leave it.
Any police officer or other person designated by the township for such
purposes is authorized to capture and impound any animal or fowl found at
large, the impounding to be in accordance with the procedure authorized by
this chapter. In the event that capture cannot be effected promptly, the officer
or person is authorized to destroy the animal or fowl.
Any animal or fowl not redeemed within 24 hours will be disposed of
in such manner as previously agreed upon between the township and owner of
the animal shelter or hospital. The owner of the hospital or shelter is made
an agent of the township for this purpose, and his actions in this regard
are declared to be for a governmental purpose.
Should any officer or designated person, upon call or upon his own initiative,
pick up a large animal such as a horse, cow or mule or any other animal not
acceptable by any animal hospital or shelter, he is authorized to convey the
animal to a farm having a working agreement with the township to handle such
cases. The disposition of the animal in this case shall be handled in the
same manner as though it were in an animal hospital or shelter.
The Township Secretary is empowered to enter into the necessary arrangements
with animal hospitals, shelters and farms to carry out the terms of this chapter.
[Amended 9-17-1990 by Ord. No. 301]
Any person who violates any provision of this chapter shall, upon conviction
thereof, be sentenced to pay a fine of not more than $1,000 and costs of prosecution
and, in default of payment of such fine and costs, to imprisonment for not
more than 30 days.
