New Animal Cruelty, Tethering Rules in the Works

About 20 people, including representatives from the Dog Park advisory board and the local SPCA, turned out Tuesday to discuss updates to Doylestown borough’s pet ordinance. 

The borough is working to strengthen its ordinance so that it protects all domestic animals and minimizes disturbance to residents.

Borough Manager John Davis said Tuesday's Community and Governmental Affairs Committee meeting was well attended and the group had a productive discussion about appropriate and necessary improvements to the ordinance. 

He said an edited draft of a new pet ordinance will be presented at the next Community and Governmental Affairs meeting, scheduled for Aug. 1 at 6 p.m.

At the very earliest, borough council may review the ordinance in August but Davis said that’s unlikely.

The new ordinance is being drafted to bring Doylestown Borough up to date on guidelines surrounding tethering as well as animal cruelty. First the first time, the ordinance will define animal cruelty. In the past, the borough relied on a state statute to enforce animal cruelty, Davis said.

The ordinance will restrict confining dogs in cars during extreme temperatures. Measures on tethering will ensure dogs have food and water as well as are restrained on leashes that won’t tangle.

The committee is still debating whether or not to include language that would restrict keeping dogs outside during extreme weather conditions, such as temperatures below 32 degrees and above 90 degrees, Davis explained.

There are already ordinances on the books that prohibit pet owners from letting their dog bark excessively. Those laws will be updated to make noise from all domestic pets a violation. Likewise with the borough’s ordinance that governs pet waste.