This article shall be deemed to apply only to
a dog which has attained the age of seven months or which possesses
a set of permanent teeth.
As used in this article, the following terms
shall have the meanings indicated:
A dog off the premises of the person owning or keeping or
harboring it and not securely fastened to a tether, leash, cord or
chain or the like, not to exceed eight feet in length, held by its
owner or other person capable of controlling said dog.
Any male or female dog, bitch or spayed bitch.
Any dog which has attained the age of seven months or which
possesses a set of permanent teeth.
When applied to the proprietorship of a dog shall include
every person having a right of property in such dog and every person
who harbors or has such dog in his keeping.
Any person who shall own, keep or harbor a dog
of licensing age in the Township shall, in the month of January in
each year, apply for and procure from the Township Health Officer
a license and official metal registration tag for each such dog so
owned, kept or harbored and shall place upon each such dog a collar
or harness with the registration tag securely fastened thereto.
The owner of any newly acquired dog of licensing
age or of any dog which attains licensing age shall apply for a license
and registration tag for such dog within 10 days after such acquisition
or age attainment.
A.
Any person who shall bring or cause to be brought into the Township any dog licensed in another state for the current year and bearing a registration tag and who shall keep the same or permit the same to be kept within the Township for a period of more than 90 days shall immediately apply for a license and registration tag for each such dog, unless a license for such dog is not required under § 91-28.
B.
Any person who shall bring or cause to be brought into the Township any unlicensed dog of licensing age and who shall keep the same or permit the same to be kept within the Township for a period of more than 10 days shall immediately apply for a license and registration tag for each such dog, unless a license for such dog is not required under § 91-28.
[Amended 10-6-1969 by Ord. No. 69-17; 2-7-1977 by Ord. No. 77-38; 11-15-1979 by Ord. No.
79-115; 7-7-1980 by Ord. No. 80-132; 5-5-2014 by Ord. No. 14-770]
The person applying for the license and registration
tag or for an annual renewal thereof shall pay to the Township Health
Officer a fee of $12 spayed/neutered, $15 unspayed/unneutered for
each dog license. Said license/renewal and registration tag shall
expire on January 31 of each year. Persons who fail to obtain a license/renewal
required within the time period specified (by March 1) will be subject
to a delinquent fee of $10 for each late registration/renewal. There
shall be a fee of $1 to replace any misplaced or lost tag within a
license period.
No person, except an officer in the performance
of his duties, shall remove a registration tag from the collar of
any dog without the consent of the owner, nor shall any person attach
a registration tag to a dog for which it was not issued.
No person owning, keeping, harboring or in control
of any dog shall suffer or permit such dog to run at large upon any
public streets, public parks, public buildings or other public places
within the Township or on private property without the permission
of the owner of said property.
No person shall permit any dog in his care or
under his control, whether or not on a tether, leash, cord or chain
or the like, to go upon the lawn, yard or entrance walk or driveway
of any private residence without the permission of the owner thereof.
[Amended 2-18-1980 by Ord. No. 80-124; 9-11-2006 by Ord. No. 06-651]
Every person owning, keeping, harboring or in
control of a dog shall be responsible to immediately and properly
pick up, remove and dispose of in a sanitary manner all solid waste
deposited by said dog on any property, public or private, not owned
or possessed by that person, including property dedicated to public
use, including without limitation parks, sidewalks, easements, roadways
or walking or riding paths. Any person who requires the use of a disability
assistance dog shall be exempt from the provisions of this section
while such animal is being used for that purpose.
[Amended 9-11-2006 by Ord. No. 06-651]
The Township Manager may appoint, at such times
and for such terms as may from time to time be expedient, an Animal
Warden whose duty it shall be to enforce the provisions of this chapter.
Nothing contained in this section or in any other section of this
chapter shall be construed as limiting the duty or authority of the
Chief of Police and of the members of the Police Department, or of
the local Board of Health, to enforce the provisions of this chapter.
It shall be the duty of the Animal Warden and
the members of the Police Department to take into custody and impound
or cause to be taken into custody and impounded, and taken to suitable
places determined by the Township, the following:
A.
Any dog off the premises of the owner or of the person
keeping or harboring said dog, which said Animal Warden or member
of the Police Department has reason to believe is a stray dog.
B.
Any dog off the premises of the owner or of the person
keeping or harboring said dog, without a current registration tag
on his collar.
C.
Any female dog in season off the premises of the owner
or of the person keeping or harboring said dog.
A.
If any dog seized as provided in § 91-13 wears a collar or harness having inscribed thereon or attached thereto the name and address of any person, or a registration tag, or if the owner or the person keeping or harboring said dog is otherwise known, the Animal Warden or the Chief of Police shall forthwith serve or cause to be served on the person whose address is given on the collar, or on the owner or the person keeping or harboring said dog, if known, a notice in writing stating that the dog has been seized and will be liable to be disposed of or destroyed if not claimed within seven days after the service of the notice.
B.
The notice referred to in Subsection A of this section may be served either by delivering it to the person on whom it is to be served or by leaving it at the person's usual or last known place of abode or at the address given on the collar or by forwarding it by post in a prepaid letter addressed to that person at his usual or last known place of abode or to the address given on the collar.
C.
When any dog seized in accordance with § 91-13 has been detained for seven days after notice, when notice can be given as above set forth, or has been detained for seven days after seizure, when notice has not been and cannot be given as above set forth, and if the owner or person keeping or harboring said dog has not claimed said dog and paid all expenses incurred by reason of its detention, including maintenance not exceeding $1 per day, and if the dog is unlicensed at the time of the seizure and the person keeping or harboring said dog has not produced a license and registration tag for said dog, the Animal Warden or Chief of Police may cause the dog to be destroyed in a manner causing as little pain as possible. Any redemption of a dog pursuant to the provisions of this section shall not be deemed to discharge or release the owner thereof from the penalties prescribed in Article V hereof for any violation of this chapter.
D.
The preceding requirements of Subsections A, B and C of this section shall not be deemed applicable when any dog seized and impounded, pursuant to § 91-13, whether licensed or unlicensed, is or appears to be suffering from rabies or is immediately dangerous to the public or has been so badly injured that it cannot be moved or helped by veterinarian care. In such case, the Animal Warden or any member of the Police Department may forthwith cause said dog to be destroyed.
A report of all dogs disposed of pursuant to § 91-14 shall be promptly filed with the Chief of Police, or any other person appointed by the Township Manager for that purpose, who shall keep a proper and complete record in a substantially bound book.
The Animal Warden and any member of the Police
Department is authorized to go upon any premises to seize for impounding
any dog or dogs which he may lawfully seize and impound when he is
in immediate pursuit of such dog or dogs, except upon the premises
of the owner of the dog if said owner is present and forbids the same.
No person shall hinder, molest or interfere
with any person appointed as Animal Warden or any officer of the Township
or other duly authorized agent in the performance of any duty authorized
or empowered by this chapter.
