[Adopted 11-5-1979 as §§ 6-22
to 6-27 of the 1979 Revised General Ordinances]
It shall be the duty of the Animal Warden and
the members of the Police Department to take into custody and impound
or cause to be taken into custody and impounded and taken to the Township
pound or to other suitable places determined by the Township any cat
off the premises of the owner or of the person keeping or harboring
said cat which such official has reason to believe is a stray cat.
A.
If any cat seized as provided in § 68-24 wears a collar or tag having inscribed thereon or attached thereto the name and addresses of any person or if the owner or the person keeping or harboring said cat is otherwise known, the Animal Warden shall, within three days thereafter, serve or cause to be served on the person whose address is given on the collar or on the owner or the person keeping or harboring said cat, if known, a notice in writing stating that the cat has been seized and will be liable to be disposed of or destroyed if not claimed within seven days after the service of the notice. The notice referred to above may be served either by delivering it to the person on whom it is to be served or by leaving it at the person's usual or last known place of abode or at the address given on the collar or tag or by forwarding it by mail in a prepaid letter addressed to that person at his usual or last known place of abode or to the address given on the collar or tag.
B.
If any cat seized as provided in § 68-24 does not wear any identification material or the owner of the cat is unknown, written notice of the cat's impoundment shall be posted for seven days at three or more conspicuous places in the Township, describing the cat and the place and time of taking.
C.
When any cat so seized has been detained for seven days after notice and if the owner or person keeping or harboring said cat has not claimed said cat and paid all expenses and charges, set forth in Subsection D below, incurred by reason of the cat's detention, the Animal Warden may cause the cat to be destroyed in a manner causing as little pain as possible.
D.
The expenses, costs and charges incurred by the Township
for the impoundment and maintenance of cats are as follows:
[Amended 7-11-2011 by Ord. No. 27-2011]
When any cat suffering from an infectious or
contagious disease shall be seized running at large within the Township,
whether or not such cat wears a collar or tag upon which is inscribed
the name and address of its owner or of any person keeping or harboring
said cat, the Animal Warden shall forthwith cause such cat to be destroyed
in a manner causing as little pain as possible.
The Animal Warden, any police officer or other
agent authorized or empowered to perform any duty under this article
is hereby authorized to go upon any premises to seize for impounding
any cat or cats which he may lawfully seize and impound when such
officer is in immediate pursuit of such cat or cats, except upon the
premises of the owner of the cat if said owner is present and forbids
the same.
No person shall hinder, molest or interfere
with anyone authorized or empowered to perform any duty under this
article.
Any person who violates any provision of this
article shall, upon conviction thereof, be punished by a fine not
exceeding $500, or by imprisonment for a term not exceeding 90 days,
or both. A separate offense shall be deemed committed on each day
during or on which a violation occurs or continues.
