The State Dog Wardens and the Columbia Borough Police will be conducting compliance checks during the Month of April. Officers will canvass homes to ensure that dogs have a current license and rabies vaccination.
The Police as well as the State Dept. of Agriculture remind dog owners that a license is one of the best ways to ensure a lost dog is returned home safely. Under PA law, all dogs three months or older must be licensed by January 1 of each year. Violators can be cited with a maximum fine of $300 per violation plus court costs.
Licenses may be purchased through Treasurer Ebersole at 150 N. Queen St, Ste 122, Lancaster or by calling 717-299-8222. For more information, visitwww.licenseyourdogPA.com or call 717-787-3062.
Borough Offices: 308 Locust Street, Columbia PA 17512 | Phone: 717-684-2467
A note to police and state dog wardens:
ReplyDeleteDon't forget to knock on rental units and check on the pit bulls. While they are at it how about citing the people that are NOT cleaning up their dog's waste. Piles upon piles in certain areas around town.
For example, the grounds of the CenturyLink building at 2nd & Avenue H: a carpet of dog crap.
Deleteplus you are only allowed to have 2 DOGS in a house. no more.
ReplyDeleteI hope they check one house on S. 9th St at the cemetery there are 3 dogs if that's the case.
DeleteKnock on my door all you want but I promise you I won't be answering. When I woke up today, I'm pretty sure this is still the U.S. of A., not communist USA! Try spending your time at the river park and cite those whose dogs are not on leashes, then you'll probably get a 2 for 1. Possibly 3 for not cleaning up after their dog if you watch long enough.
ReplyDeleteTheir intentions are good, but the sight of government agents knocking on doors demanding to see "papers" does conjure images of a totalitarian state.
DeleteHow many dogs in a house has nothing to do with the state dog warden. The dog rule is a zoning law. Same with cleaning up dog waste, that is a borough ordinance.
ReplyDeleteCole, I'm writing to you in response to some recent comments posted on Facebook. Anyone that refuses to help an animal and encourages others not to help them, has a total disconnect with compassion. If these people are using any type of food stamp program, I say end it now and stop helping. Let them starve to death. It has been said a country can be judged by the way it treats it's animals. Maybe Columbia can be judged by that in the very near future.
ReplyDelete"Compassion for animals is intimately connected with goodness of character; and it may be confidently asserted that he who is cruel to animals cannot be a good man."
Delete- Arthur Schopenhauer (philosopher)
It is more of a problem to have piles of dog feces covering every square inch of a yard vs. not having a dog license. I have mine so I'm not worried about being cited. I also agree about simply not answering the door, but then it appears as if my dog is not licensed. I thought codes and cops were going to start walking...if I can see piles of dog crap they can see it too. This is a turn off for visitors to Columbia. I still say its the renters doing this. There was a time when if you rented you could not own a pet. Now we see why. There was also a time when it was extremely difficult if not impossible to get homeowners insurance if you kept certain breeds if dogs on the property.
ReplyDeleteNot all renters. Owners, though, have a vested interest in the town, since they pay property taxes here and are more likely to keep after their dogs.
DeleteAnother problem is the people that take "free" kittens and then when it's time to spay/neuter...out the door they go. If you take a pet it is YOUR responsibility to have that pet properly vaccinated, spayed and/or neutered. There are also people that move out and leave cats behind, just abandon them. If you are moving and have a pet, again this is still YOUR responsibility to secure a proper home or surrender the animal to the SPCA.
ReplyDeleteI agree. Some pet owners are irresponsible - and heartless.
Deletei see a much bigger problem here that SHOULD be addressed. The hundreds and hundreds of stray, feral cats that residents STILL feed and let bedding out for. this has GOT to stop. it's a very SERIOUS problem in this Boro. Address this. Codes has known about it for YEARS.
ReplyDelete