Township of Marlboro, NJ Article III Licensing of Cats

[Adopted 5-23-1991 by Ord. No. 12-91 (Ch. 59, Art. II, of the 1981 Code)]

§ 94-18 Definitions.

For the purpose of this article, the following words and terms shall be deemed to have the meanings herein given to them:

ANIMAL

For the purpose of this article, animal shall mean dog or cat.

CAT

Any member of the domestic feline species, male, female or altered.

CAT OF LICENSING AGE

Any cat which has attained the age of seven months or which possesses a set of permanent teeth.

CATTERY

Any room or group of rooms, cage or exhibition pen, not part of a kennel, wherein cats for sale are kept or displayed.

LICENSING AUTHORITY

The Business Administrator or any designated representative of the Business Administrator.

NEUTERED

Rendered permanently incapable of reproduction as certified by a licensed veterinarian.

OWNER

When applied to the proprietorship of a cat, shall include every person having a right of property (or custody) in such cat and every person who has such cat in his/her keeping or who harbors or maintains a cat or knowingly permits a cat to remain on or about any premises occupied by that person.

PERSON

Any individual, corporation, partnership, organization or institution commonly recognized by law as a unit.

§ 94-19 Rabies vaccination required; exceptions.

A. Vaccination and license requirements. No person shall own, keep, harbor or maintain any cat over seven months of age within the Township of Marlboro unless such cat is vaccinated and licensed. The provisions of this section do not apply to cats held in a cattery or those held by a state or federal licensed research facility; a veterinary establishment where cats are received or kept for diagnostic, medical, surgical or other treatments; or licensed animal shelters, pounds, kennels or pet shops.

B. Vaccination. All cats shall be vaccinated against rabies by a licensed veterinarian in accordance with the latest Compendium of Animal Rabies Vaccines and Recommendations for Immunization published by the National Association of State Public Health Veterinarians, except as provided for in Subsection D.

C. Vaccination certificates. A certificate of vaccination shall be issued to the owner of each animal vaccinated on a form recommended by the state.

D. Exemptions. Any cat may be exempted from the requirements of such vaccination for a specified period of time by the Division of Administration or the Township upon presentation of a veterinarian's certificate stating that because of an infirmity or other physical condition or regimen of therapy, the inoculation of such cat shall be deemed inadvisable.

[Amended 12-10-2009 by Ord. No. 2009-35]

§ 94-20 Licenses required.

A. Cats must have license number displayed. Any person who shall own, keep or harbor a cat of licensing age shall annually apply for and procure from the Business Administrator or other official designated by the Business Administrator thereof to license cats in the municipality in which he/she resides a license and official registration tag with a license number or a registration sleeve for each cat so owned, kept or harbored and shall place upon such cat a collar or other device with the license number securely fastened thereto or displayed thereon. Acceptable methods of displaying the license number shall include, but are not limited to, breakaway or elastic collars. License tags or sleeves are not transferable.

B. Time for applying for license. The owner of any newly acquired cat of licensing age or of any cat which attains licensing age shall make application for a license tag or sleeve for such cat within 10 days after such acquisition or age attainment. This requirement will not apply to a nonresident keeping a cat within the Township of Marlboro for no longer than 90 days.

C. Cats brought into jurisdiction.

(1) Any person who shall bring or cause to be brought into the Township of Marlboro any cat licensed in another state for the current year, and bearing a registration tag or sleeve, and who shall keep the same or permit the same to be kept within the Township of Marlboro for a period of more than 90 days shall immediately apply for a license and registration tag or sleeve for each such cat.

(2) Any person who shall bring or cause to be brought into this Township any unlicensed cat and who shall keep same or permit same to be kept within the Township of Marlboro for a period of more than 10 days shall immediately apply for a license and registration tag or sleeve for each such cat.

D. Application contents; preservation of information. The application shall state the breed, sex, age, color and markings of the cat for which license and registration are sought and whether it is of a long- or shorthaired variety; also the name, street and post office address of the owner and the person who shall keep or harbor such cat. The information on said application and the registration number issued for the cat shall be preserved for a period of three years by the Business Administrator or other official designated to license cats in the municipality.

E. License forms and tags. License forms and official tags or sleeves shall be furnished by the municipality and shall be numbered serially and shall bear the year of issuance and the name of the municipality.

F. Evidence of inoculation with rabies vaccine or certification of exemption; requirement for license. The Business Administrator or other official designated by the Business Administrator to license cats therein shall grant any such license and official registration tag or sleeve for any cat, unless the owner thereof provides evidence that the cat to be licensed and registered has been inoculated with a rabies vaccine of a type approved by and administered in accordance with the recommendations of the United States Department of Agriculture and the United States Department of Human Services or has been certified as exempt as provided by § 94-19 of this chapter. The rabies inoculation shall be administered by a duly licensed veterinarian or by such other veterinarian permitted by law to do the same.

G. License fee schedule.

[Amended 12-10-2009 by Ord. No. 2009-43; 4-15-2010 by Ord. No. 2010-8]

(1) A license shall be issued after payment of a fee of $7.20 for a cat one year of age or under, $5 for a cat over the age of one year and spayed or neutered, and $7.20 for each cat over the age of one year and not spayed or neutered by January 30 of each given year.

(2) Late registration.

(a) There shall be no administrative or other penalty imposed for the late registration, prior to May 1 any year, of a cat required to be licensed prior to that date under any of the sections of this article.

(b) An administrative penalty of $15 shall be imposed for registration of a cat required for licensing taking place on or after May 1 of any year. This payment shall be due and payable in addition to the registration fee.

(c) If a cat owner fails to license his or her cat before July 1 of any year for cat licensing required prior to that date, then such owner shall be deemed to be in violation of the Code of the Township of Marlboro and thereby subject to the imposition of the minimum fine set forth in § 94-21 of this article. No municipal court appearance shall be required unless the owner pleads not guilty to the alleged violation.

H. Fees; renewals; expiration date of license.

(1) A license from another municipality shall be accepted. The person applying for the license and registration tag and/or sleeve shall pay the fee. The fee for the renewal of license and registration tag or sleeve shall be the same as for the original, and said license, registration tag or sleeve and renewal thereof shall expire on December 31 in the same year.

(2) Only one license and registration tag or sleeve shall be required in the licensing year for any cat in this Township. Any valid New Jersey license tag or sleeve issued by a New Jersey municipality shall be accepted by this municipality as evidence of compliance.

I. Loss of license. If a license tag or sleeve has been misplaced or lost, the Business Administrator may issue a duplicate license and/or registration sleeve for that particular cat at a fee of $1.

J. Proof of licensing. Proof of licensing shall be produced by any person owning, keeping, maintaining or harboring a cat, upon the request of any health official, police officer, animal control officer or other authorized person.

K. Interfering with persons performing duties under this article. No person shall hinder, molest or interfere with anyone authorized or empowered to perform any duty under this article.

L. Disposition of fees collected. License fees and other moneys collected or received under the provisions of this article shall be forwarded to the Treasurer of the municipality and shall be placed in a general account of the municipality.

§ 94-21 Violations and penalties.

[Amended 12-10-2009 by Ord. No. 2009-43]

Except as otherwise provided in this article, any person who violates any provision of this article shall be subject to a minimum fine of no less than $50 for each and every violation up to the maximum penalties as allowable by law, except that a violation of § 94-20G, License required, shall be subject to an administrative penalty, pursuant to § 94-20G hereinabove, and no municipal court appearance shall be required for such violations, unless the owner pleads not guilty to the alleged violation.