(a) All potentially dangerous and/or vicious animals shall be properly vaccinated.
(b) All potentially dangerous and/or vicious animals shall be housed either within the owner’s home or if housed outside, within a kennel or other structure, with proper flooring, walls and roof or other permanent cover. The owner may permit the animal outside on the owner’s property so long as the animal is restricted to the back or rear yard and is securely chained or otherwise restricted so the animal is at least four feet away from the perimeter of the owner’s property and the yard is secured to prevent children from trespassing. A potentially dangerous animal may be off the owner’s premises only if it is restrained by a substantial leash or appropriate length, is under the control of a responsible adult at all times and is muzzled.
(c) If there are no additional instances of behavior demonstrating a potentially dangerous animal within the 36- month period from the date of designation, animals shall be removed from designation as a potentially dangerous animal.
(d) A dog determined to be a vicious dog may be destroyed by the animal control officer when it is found after proceedings conducted under Section 610.09 where the court makes a determination that release of the animal would create a significant threat to public health, safety and welfare. The court may, in addition, impose conditions upon the continued ownership of the animal to protect public health, safety and welfare.
(e) The owner of an animal determined to be vicious may be prohibited by the Township from owning, possessing, controlling or having custody of any animal for a period of up to three years when it is found after proceedings that ownership or possession of an animal by that person would create a significant threat to the public health, safety and welfare.
(Ord. 117. Passed 4-26-61; Ord. 409. Passed 12-15-14.)