At its meeting on January 28, 2013, the Manheim Township Board of Commissioners approved an agreement with the Lancaster County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) to assist the Township Police Department in handling and caring for stray dogs found and captured in the Township.
Each year Manheim Township captures 35 to 45 stray dogs running at large. Many of these dogs are licensed and owned by Township residents. Others are truly strays with no identification of ownership. When a dog is found, captured and its owner is identified, it is typically returned to the owner by non-uniform police department staff. Dogs that are not identified will be delivered to the new Lancaster SPCA until the owner does come forward to claim the animal, or it is placed under the control of the SPCA, or a new adoptive owner through the SPCA's placement programs.
From the Township's point of view, it is extremely important that dog owners to properly register and license their dogs. In fact, this is a requirement of the PA Dog Law for dogs older then three (3) months of age. As long as dog owners properly license and register their animals, the MT Police Department will be able to effectively identify any captured dog and return it to its rightful owner.
Utilizing the Lancaster SPCA's services and capturing, identifying and returning stray dogs costs the Township work time and financial resources. In conjunction with its new contract with the Lancaster SPCA, the Board of Commissioners also adopted a set of "capture and return/convey fees." The Township will recoup a portion of its costs for capturing a stray animal and returning it to an owner's home ($75) or conveying the animal to the SPCA ($150). There is a clear financial incentive for Township dog owners to control their dogs from going stray and to license their dogs so that they may be returned to their registered home versus being delivered to the Lancaster SPCA
Please see the link below for information on licensing your dog at the Lancaster County Treasurer's Office.