[Adopted 3-4-1985 by Ord. No. 884 (Ch. II,
Part 3, of the 1962 Code)]
A.
ANIMAL
DOMESTIC ANIMAL
HOUSEHOLD PET
LARGE ANIMAL
PERSON
SMALL ANIMAL
WILD ANIMAL
As used in this article, the following terms shall
have the meanings indicated, unless a different meaning clearly appears
from a context form:
Any domestic animal or fowl, any wild animal or any household
pet.
Any animal normally or ordinarily domesticated or raised
in this area and climate as livestock or for work or breeding purposes,
or normally or ordinarily kept as a household pet.
Any dog, cat or other domestic animal normally and ordinarily
kept in or permitted to be at large in the dwelling of its owner.
Any wild or domestic animal of the bovine, equine or sheep
family.
Any person, firm, partnership, association or corporation.
Any wild or domestic animals such as a rabbit, hare, guinea
pig, rat, mouse or chinchilla; and any wild or domestic fowl such
as a chicken, turkey, goose, duck or pigeon (excepting homing pigeons).
Any animal, including bird, fowl, reptile not normally or
ordinarily raised in this area and climate as livestock or for work
or breeding purposes; or are not capable of being kept as a household
pet.
B.
In this article, the singular shall include the plural,
the plural shall include the singular, and the masculine shall include
the feminine.
It shall be unlawful for any person to keep
any pigs, hogs or swine at any place within the Borough of Catasauqua.
It shall be unlawful for any person to keep
any domesticated animals, except household pets, except as provided
in this section:
A.
Large animals shall be confined in quarters no part
of which shall be closer than 100 feet from the exterior limits of
any dwelling or of any property line.
B.
Small animals shall be kept confined in quarters no
part of which shall be closer than 25 feet from the exterior limits
of any dwelling or of any property line.
C.
The keeper of every such animal shall confine the
same in an enclosure sufficient to prevent such animal from running
at large, and such enclosure shall be of a size conducive to good
sanitary practices and adequate and sanitary drainage facilities shall
be provided.
D.
Every keeper of any animal shall cause the litter
and droppings therefrom to be collected daily in a container or receptacle
that when closed shall be ratproof and flytight, and after every such
collection shall cause such container or receptacle to be kept closed.
At least twice a week, every such keeper shall cause all litter and
droppings so collected to be disposed of in such a manner as not to
permit the presence of fly larva.
E.
Every keeper of any animal shall cause all feed provided
therefor to be stored and kept in a ratproof and flytight building,
box, container or receptacle.
It shall be unlawful for any person to keep
any household pet, except as provided in this section:
A.
No person shall keep in an individual dwelling or
on one individual lot of land more than three household pets. Further,
such owner shall be required to follow such procedures and practices
as to sanitation to insure that no public nuisance shall be created
or maintained and no threat to the health of persons living elsewhere
and in such dwelling shall be created.
B.
If any such pet or pets shall be kept in an enclosure outside such dwelling, the provisions of § 105-13 of this article, insofar as the same applies to small animals shall be applicable to the keeping of such household pet.
C.
It shall be unlawful for the owner, custodian or keeper
of any dog or cat to allow such dog or cat to run at large at any
time, either upon any of the streets, alleys or public grounds in
the Borough of Catasauqua or upon the property of anyone other than
the owner, custodian or keeper of such dog or cat unless leashed and
under the immediate control of such owner, custodian or keeper.
D.
It shall be the immediate responsibility of the owner,
custodian or keeper of the dog or cat to clean up the feces discharged
by the dog or cat on any public recreation grounds, sidewalks, streets
or private property other than the owner's private property.
It shall be the duty of any police officer or
animal control officer of the Borough of Catasauqua who witnesses
any dog or cat running at large in conflict with the provisions of
the appropriate sections of this article or who receives information
of any dog or cat so running at large to seize such dog or cat and
to convey it to the place designated by the Borough Council as a pound.
Notice of such seizure shall be sent to the owner of such dog or cat,
if known, in the manner prescribed by law and such dog or cat may
be redeemed by the owner thereof within the time specified by law,
upon payment of the charges incurred by reason of such detention.
Rates of such charges shall be determined from time to time by Borough
Council.
In the event that a dog or cat is not claimed
within five days, the dog or cat shall be transferred to a public
animal protection agency.
In order to assist the Borough Police Department,
the position of Animal Control Officer is established. It shall be
the duty of this Officer to catch and impound dogs or cats running
at large, to provide for their care while in the custody of the Borough
and to enforce the provisions of this article including arrest. The
method of payment of such Officer shall be determined from time to
time by the Borough Council and the Borough Manager shall be vested
with the responsibility of hiring a competent Officer.
Any violation of this article which would also
violate any state law should be prosecuted under that state law and
not under this article.
[Amended 4-1-2013 by Ord. No. 1288]
Any person who shall violate any provisions
of this article shall, upon conviction thereof, be sentenced to pay
a fine not exceeding $300; and/or to undergo imprisonment for a term
not to exceed 90 days. Each day that a violation of this article continues
shall constitute a separate offense. Any person found guilty of violating
an ordinance shall be assessed court costs and reasonable attorneys’
fees incurred by the Borough in the enforcement proceedings.
