[Added 9-20-2012 by Ord. No. 445]
The feeding of any cat or other wildlife, except birds, including
hand feeding or the placing or setting out of food to be left attended
or unattended, which creates or has the potential to create a hazard
to public health or safety, is hereby declared to be a public nuisance
and to be unlawful. Any cat or other stray animal not under the immediate
control of its owner or the owner's agent, found straying or running
at large within the corporate limits of the Township of Rochester,
shall be deemed and considered to be a public nuisance. Any cat found
running at large or straying may be apprehended and impounded.
It is the intent that this article shall be supplemental to
any laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania hereinbefore or hereafter
adopted covering cats and stray animals within the Commonwealth of
Pennsylvania. Should any of the provisions of this article be contrary
to the provisions of any Act of Assembly, it is the intent that the
Act of Assembly shall control.
The proper officers of the Township are authorized to enter
into such agreements or contracts with any individual, individuals
or corporations as may be reasonably necessary to implement the provisions
of this article in regard to the care and custody of such cats detained
by the Township pursuant to the provisions of this article and to
provide for the reasonable compensation of such person, persons, or
corporations for such services.
Any person who shall violate any provision of this article,
for each and every such violation, upon conviction thereof before
the local Magisterial District Justice, shall 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, provided that a separate offense shall be deemed to be committed
upon each calendar day during or on which any such violation shall
be committed or shall continue, after 10 days of receipt of official
notice of noncompliance. The Board of Commissioners of the Township
of Rochester may by resolution amend the fine amount based on statute
and calculations determined to be just and reasonable associated with
this article.
