[Ord. 916, 11/17/2014]
1.
The purpose of this Part is to protect and promote the safety, health
and general welfare of the community and residents of the Township
of Elizabeth; to establish the responsibility and liability of cat
owners arising from the conduct of their pets; and to provide reasonable
regulations for the control, care and maintenance of cats in the Township.
2.
It is recognized by the Commissioners that cats are generally excellent
pets but that they can become a nuisance if not properly controlled,
and this legislation is not intended to interfere with the relationship
between owners and their pets.
[Ord. 916, 11/17/2014]
As used in this Part, the following terms shall have the meanings
indicated:
A cat of any age which shall be left unattended, unclaimed,
unlicensed or at large for a period of 72 hours or more shall be considered
to be abandoned.
Any animal of the felis catus species (domestic house cat).
Every person having a property right in a cat and every person
keeping, having custody of, or feeding a cat for more than 48 hours,
or who allows a cat to reside or remain about his premises, shall
be considered a cat owner. This provision shall not include a person
who keeps or feeds a cat on behalf of an owner at the owner's
request to accommodate the owner's temporary needs.
An individual, firm, partnership, corporation or association
of persons.
A cat that causes damage to public or private property or
causes harm to any person.
A cat having no known owner or custodian.
[Ord. 916, 11/17/2014]
It shall be unlawful for any owner or any person having custody
of any cat(s) to allow or permit any cat to become a public nuisance.
Acts of nuisance shall include but are not limited to the following:
A.
Noise disturbance.
B.
Viciousness.
C.
Digging into flower beds, lawns, sandboxes, gardens or damaging of
shrubbery, trees, lawns, personal property not belonging to the owner
or the depositing of feces.
D.
Entering and running at large in public parks or playgrounds.
E.
Not having current rabies vaccinations and current Township license.
[Ord. 916, 11/17/2014]
It shall be unlawful for any owner of any cat to permit such
cat to run free outside the residence of its owner or keeper unless
said cat has been:
[Ord. 916, 11/17/2014]
1.
It shall be unlawful for any person to continue to feed feral cats,
if such feeding causes a nuisance to neighbors or creates a condition
contrary to the health, safety, and welfare of the community.
2.
Any person feeding stray or feral cats may be required to cooperate
with any humane program sponsored by the Township or operating under
the Township's auspices that traps stray and feral cats for the
purpose of spaying/neutering the cats, immunizing the cats from rabies,
"tipping" the cat's left ear and then returning the cat to its
environment in the general vicinity in which it was trapped.
[Ord. 916, 11/17/2014]
[Ord. 916, 11/17/2014]
Persons permitted as a feral cat caregiver by the Township may
possess and feed feral cats as part of a trapping, treatment and return
program. No feral cat caregiver shall be cited or fined under this
article for possession or feeding of a feral cat in his or her discharge
of any duty of such program as set forth in or established by the
requirements of this Part.
[Ord. 916, 11/17/2014]
1.
Any person seeking to be a feral cat caregiver shall submit an application
for a feral cat caregiver permit to the Elizabeth Township Manager
on a form provided for that purpose, together with any other documents
or certifications as may be required pursuant to such application
form. Such application form shall require that the applicant certify
that the applicant shall comply with the standards for the safe trapping,
treatment and return of feral cats that the Township may require by
ordinance.
2.
A permit issued under this article does not authorize a feral cat
caregiver to enter upon private property without the permission of
the landowner.
[Ord. 916, 11/17/2014]
1.
Feral cats trapped as part of a permitted program must be sterilized
and vaccinated for rabies and distemper prior to release.
2.
All feral cats receiving treatment shall be ear-tipped for identification.
3.
Treatment of feral cats shall only be performed by a veterinarian
currently licensed in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
Any ordinance or part of ordinance conflicting with the provisions
of this Part is hereby repealed to the extent of such conflict.
Nothing in this Part shall be construed to affect any suit or
proceeding impending in any court, or any rights acquired, or liability
incurred, or any cause or causes of action acquired or existing, under
any act or ordinance hereby repealed as cited in § 510 of
this Part; nor shall any just or legal right or remedy of any character
be lost, impaired or affected by this Part.
