[Adopted 12-29-1980 by Ord. No. 243-80 as Ch. V of the 1980
Revised General Ordinances]
As used in this article, the following terms shall have the
meanings indicated:
Includes canines of both sexes.
All dogs, regardless of sex, over six months of age and not
confined to a licensed kennel, kept within the limits of the Township,
shall be licensed as hereinafter provided.
[Amended 4-1-1987 by Ord. No. 274-87; 2-17-1988 by Ord. No. 282-88; 12-16-2009 by Ord. No. 488-2009]
Licenses shall be issued yearly by the Township Clerk for a
period coextensive with the calendar year, or such part thereof as
remains at the time of issuance of the license, upon payment to him
of the yearly license fee of $10 for dogs which have been spayed or
neutered and $15 for dogs which have not been spayed or neutered.
All licenses shall expire at midnight on the last day of the year
for which issued, and the fees paid therefor shall be the same regardless
of the time of issuance of such license. Any owner who fails to pay
the license fees herein required on or before the first day of April
in each year shall, in addition thereto, pay a late charge of $20
upon payment said license fee for each dog required to be licensed
by this article.
[Added 6-19-1996 by Ord. No. 344-96]
Dogs used as guides for blind persons and commonly known as
"Seeing Eye" dogs, dogs used to assist handicapped persons and commonly
known as "Service" dogs and dogs used to assist deaf persons and commonly
known as "Hearing Ear" dogs shall be licensed and registered as other
dogs herein provided for, except that the owner or keeper of such
dog shall not be required to pay any fee therefor.
[Amended 6-19-1996 by Ord. No. 344-96]
A.
Dogs kept in kennels need not be individually licensed, provided
that the kennel is licensed and that the dog or dogs kept therein
are not permitted to run at large.
B.
A "kennel" is defined to be a place where a dog or dogs are confined
within the boundaries of the premises of the occupant, but no place
shall be construed to be a "kennel" unless it is marked with a kennel
name posted in a conspicuous place. In addition, a "kennel" is defined
as any establishment wherein or whereon the business of boarding or
selling dogs or breeding dogs for sale is carried on, except a pet
shop.
C.
The annual license fee for a kennel in which 10 or fewer dogs are
kept shall be $10, and for more than 10 dogs, the annual license fee
for a kennel shall be $25.
D.
Kennel licenses shall be issued by the Animal Control Officer for
the same periods of time as dog licenses.
E.
All dogs over six months of age shall be counted in computing the
number of dogs kept in a kennel.
All funds received shall be turned over to the Township Clerk
within 48 hours after receipt of the same, which shall be deposited
in a dog account created for this purpose. Payments under this section
to the Animal Control Officer shall be made upon due presentation
of voucher for same.
The Township Clerk shall secure at Township expense metallic
tags, or tags of other suitable material, and certificates for delivery
to licensees. When a license is issued for an individual dog, the
licensee shall be provided with such tag and a certificate. Such tag
shall have stamped thereon a number and the year of issue, the tag
and in addition thereto shall show the age, color, breed, sex, license
tag number, name of dog and name and address of owner. When a license
is issued for a kennel, the licensee shall be provided with a certificate
only, which certificate shall show the name and address of the owner,
location and name of the kennel, a year for which the license is issued,
number of dogs permitted and the fee paid for same. The Clerk shall
keep a copy of all licenses issued. The certificate shall constitute
the license.
[Amended 6-19-1996 by Ord. No. 344-96]
The tag shall be on the dog at all times and fastened to the
collar. No tag shall be used upon any other dog, except the dog for
which it is issued, nor shall anyone maliciously remove or mutilate
the tag. If satisfactory proof is presented that the tag has been
lost or stolen, the Animal Control Officer shall issue another tag,
which shall be noted upon the original certificate and record. A replacement
fee shall be charged for lost or stolen tags, which fee will be at
cost for said tag.
No dog shall be permitted or allowed to bark, cry, whine or
otherwise disturb the peace, quiet or sleep of anyone for any unreasonable
length of time.
No person owning, keeping or harboring any dog shall suffer
or permit it to be upon any of the public streets or upon any private
property in the Township (except the private property of the person,
owning, keeping or harboring such dog, or except upon premises where
permission has been given by the owner thereof to the person owning,
keeping or harboring any such dog), to keep it on the private property
of the person so giving permission unless such dog is accompanied
by a reliable person over the age of 12 years and is securely confined
and controlled by an adequate leash not more than six feet long, provided,
nevertheless, that the provisions for leasing and attendance shall
not apply in farming and hunting areas of the Township.
[Amended 6-19-1996 by Ord. No. 344-96]
A.
The Animal Control Officer, or any person, firm or agency appointed
for the purpose by the Township Committee, shall take into custody
and impound or cause to be taken into custody and impounded, and thereafter
destroyed or offered for adoption, as provided in this section and
in N.J.S.A. 4:19-15.16, the following:
(1)
Any dog off the premises of the owner or of the person keeping or
harboring said dog which said Animal Control Officer or other appointed
person has reason to believe is a stray dog.
(2)
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.
(3)
Any female dog in season off the premises of the owner or of the
person keeping or harboring said dog.
(4)
Any dog or other animal which is suspected to be rabid.
(5)
Any dog or other animal off the premises of the owner reported to,
or observed by, a certified Animal Control Officer to be ill, injured
or creating a threat to public health, safety or welfare, or otherwise
interfering with the enjoyment of property.
B.
If any animal so seized wears a collar or harness having inscribed
thereon or attached thereto the name and address of any person or
a registration tag, or the owner or the person keeping or harboring
said animal is known, any person authorized by the Township Committee
shall forthwith serve on the person whose address is given on the
collar, or on the owner or the person keeping or harboring said animal,
if known, a notice in writing stating that the animal has been seized
and will be liable to be offered for adoption or destroyed if not
claimed within seven days after the service of the notice.
C.
A notice under this section may be served either by the 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 the address given on the collar.
D.
Any person authorized by the Township Committee may cause an animal
to be destroyed in a manner causing as little pain as possible and
consistent with the provisions of N.J.S.A. 4:22-19 or offered for
adoption seven days after seizure, provided that:
(1)
Notice is given as set forth above and the animal remains unclaimed;
(2)
The owner or person keeping or harboring the animal has not claimed
the animal and paid all expenses incurred by reason of its detention,
including maintenance costs not exceeding $4 per day; or
(3)
The owner or person keeping or harboring a dog which was licensed
at the time of seizure does not produce a license and registration
tag for the dog.
[Amended 6-19-1996 by Ord. No. 344-96]
The provisions of Chapter 307 of the Laws of 1989 (N.J.S.A.
4:19-17 et seq.), regarding potentially dangerous dogs and vicious
dogs, shall be applicable in the Township.
No person, owning, keeping or harboring a dog shall permit or
suffer it to do any injury or to do any damage to any lawn, shrubbery,
flowers, ground or property.
