Borough of Bellevue, PA Dogs

When applied to the proprietorship of a dog, includes every person having a right of property in such dog and every person who keeps or harbors such dog or has it in his care and every person who permits such dog to remain on or about any premises occupied by him.

RUNNING AT LARGE

Being upon any public highway, street, alley, park or any other public land or upon property of a person other than the owner and not being accompanied by or under the control of the owner or any person having custody of said dog.

§ 80-2 Appointment and duties of Dog Warden.

A Dog Warden shall be appointed by Town Council to serve during its pleasure. Such Dog Warden along with the police officers shall have concurrent responsibility for the enforcement of this article and of the Dog Law, 3 P.S. § 459-101 et seq., provided that he shall not have the power to make arrests under this Act of Assembly or any other act of assembly or ordinance of the Borough.

§ 80-3 Unlawful to allow dogs to run at large.

It shall be unlawful for the owner of any dog or dogs to allow or permit such dog or dogs to run at large in the Borough.

§ 80-4 Seizing of dogs.

The Dog Warden or any police officer or constable may seize any dog found at large in the Borough. Such dogs are to be impounded in a licensed kennel.

§ 80-5 Licensed dogs.

The Chief of Police shall notify the owner of a licensed dog by registered or certified mail, with return receipt, that the dog is impounded and will be disposed of in five days if not claimed. Five days after the return receipt has been received and the dog has not been claimed, the dog may be sold or destroyed in accordance with the Dog Law, 3 P.S. § 459-302.

§ 80-6 Unlicensed dogs.

Unlicensed dogs that are seized shall be held in such kennel for 48 hours and, if not claimed, may be destroyed in accordance with the Dog Law, 3 P.S. § 459-303.

§ 80-7 Dangerous dogs.

A dog determined to be dangerous under Section 502-A of the Dog Law, 3 P.S. § 459-502-A, shall be restrained or otherwise kept in accordance with Article V-A of the Dog Law, 3 P.S. § 459-501-A et seq.

Dogs may be killed only in accordance with the requirements of Section 501 of the Dog Law, 3 P.S. § 459-501, and otherwise said dogs must be detained and delivered to the police or State Dog Warden. While detained said dog must be treated in a humane manner.

§ 80-8 Domestic pets.

For the purposes of this section, the following terms shall have the following meanings, respectively, designated for each:

OWNER

Includes any person, firm or corporation keeping, harboring or acting as custodian of a domesticated animal.

PET

Includes domesticated animals kept for pleasure other than utility and includes dogs, cats, fish, birds, hamsters, guinea pigs, gerbil, hamster, domestic rat, domestic mouse, parakeet and other psittacine birds of similar size, myna birds, canaries, tropical fish and gold fish.

PUBLIC NUISANCE ANIMAL(S)

Includes any animal which:

(1)

Is repeatedly found at large.

(2)

Damages the property of anyone other than its owner.

(3)

Is a vicious animal.

(4)

Causes fouling of the air by odors.

(5)

Causes unsanitary conditions of enclosures or surroundings.

(6)

By virtue of number or types of animals maintained, are offensive or dangerous to the public health, safety and welfare.

(7)

Makes excessively disturbing noises.

(8)

Molests passersby or passing vehicles.

(9)

Attacks other domestic animals.

(10)

Has been designated by Council to be a public nuisance animal by virtue of being a menace to the public health, welfare or safety.

The running at large within the Borough of any animals, including pets, is prohibited.

It shall be the duty of every police officer of the Borough and of other authorized representatives thereof to seize and detain any animal which is found running at large, either upon the highways, streets or alleys of the Borough or upon property other than that of the owner, keeper, custodian or harborer of such animal. If the owner, keeper, custodian or harborer of such animal is known or his or her identity is discoverable through identification markings of any kind, such owner, keeper, custodian or harborer shall be immediately notified, either personally or by registered mail, to reclaim such animal within 48 hours after receiving personal notice or within five days following the mailing of the registered mail notice. Any animal seized and detained shall be detained in an impounding facility designated by the Borough and shall be properly fed and watered. The owner of an animal so detained shall pay all reasonable expenses incurred by reason of the detention of such animal, before becoming entitled to the return of such animal. In addition thereto, the owner must satisfy the police officer or other authorized representative of the Borough that the animal will be maintained in such manner so as not to constituted a public nuisance animal. In the event the owner of such animal does not reclaim the animal and pay the reasonable charges hereinbefore provided for and does not satisfy the police officer or other authorized representative of the Borough that the animal will be maintained in such a manner as not to constitute a public nuisance animal, within the time herein provided, any such animal shall be turned over to the Animal Rescue League or similar organization or sold for the benefit of the Borough.

Any public nuisance animal shall, upon demand, be delivered by its owner to the Police Department or other authorized representative of the Borough. It shall be a violation of this section for the owner of a public nuisance animal to refuse to surrender such animal to a police officer or other authorized representative of the Borough. The police or other authorized representative of the Borough are hereby directed, authorized and empowered to seize and take possession of, on public or private property, any such animal.

No person, firm or corporation shall own, keep or harbor any animal or pet other than acceptable pets, as herein defined, within the Borough without first obtaining written permission from the Chief of Police. Such written permission will be issued upon satisfactory proof that the owner can and will provide humane and healthful conditions for the animal in a manner not to constitute a public nuisance animal, as herein defined.

§ 80-9 Dogs prohibited.

No dog shall be permitted in any premises used as a store for the sale of food for human consumption.

§ 80-10 Violations and penalties.

The first two times a dog is seized, the owner shall pay a fine of $15 to the Borough as well as reasonable fees for keeping the animal in a kennel as established pursuant to a resolution of the Town Council.

Any person allowing a dog to run at large a third time in violation of this article shall, upon conviction thereof, be sentenced to pay a fine of not more than $1,000 plus costs and, in default of payment of said fine and costs, to a term of imprisonment not to exceed 30 days. Each day that a violation of this article continues or each section of this article which shall be found to have been violated shall constitute a separate offense.