The purpose of this article is to protect the
health, safety and welfare of all those frequenting this Township
by preventing the needless health hazards and nuisances created by
dog feces upon public and private property located within the Township.
No person owning, harboring, keeping or in charge
of any dog shall cause, suffer or allow such dog or dogs to soil,
defile or defecate on or commit any nuisance on any common thoroughfare,
sidewalk, passageway, bike path, play area, park or any place where
people congregate or walk or upon any public property whatsoever or
upon any private property without the permission of the owner of said
property.
Any person owning, harboring, keeping or in
charge of any dog or dogs which soils, defiles, defecates on or commits
any nuisance shall have in his/her possession at all times appropriate
means, including but not limited to a shovel or other implements in
containers or disposal bags, to immediately remove and dispose of
all feces and droppings by said dog or dogs on any common thoroughfare,
sidewalk, passageway, bike path, play area, park or any place where
people congregate or walk or upon any public property whatsoever or
upon any private property without the permission of the owner of said
property.
The feces removed from the aforementioned designated
area shall be disposed of by the person owning, harboring, keeping
or in charge of any such dog or dogs in a sanitary manner.
No person owning, keeping or harboring any dog
or dogs shall suffer or be permitted to be upon any public street
or in any public place or any public area of the Township unless the
dog is accompanied by a person and is securely confined and controlled
by an adequate leash not more than six feet long.
The provisions of §§Â
118-19 through
118-23 shall not apply to blind persons who may use dogs as guides, to handicapped persons who may use service dogs or to deaf persons who may use hearing ear dogs.
Complaints against violators of §§Â
118-19 through
118-23 may be filed by any citizen as well as by an officer of the Township Police Department or the Township Animal Control Officer.
Individuals or entities found guilty of violating
this article shall be subject to a fine of not more than $250 for
the first offense and not more than $500 for each offense thereafter.