As used in this chapter.
Any dog, bitch or spayed bitch.
Any dog which has obtained the age of seven months or which
possesses a set of permanent teeth.
When applied to the proprietorship of such a dog, includes
every person having a right of property in such dog and every person
who has such dog in his keeping.
Any dog or dog hybrid declared potentially dangerous pursuant
to N.J.S.A. 4:19-23.
Any dog or dog hybrid declared vicious pursuant to N.J.S.A.
4:19-22.
[Amended 12-16-2014 by Ord. No. 2014-28; 4-7-2015 by Ord. No. 2015-4]
Any person who shall own, keep or harbor a dog of licensing age shall apply for and procure from the Township Clerk a license and official metal registration tag for each such dog and shall securely fasten the same to a collar or harness of the dog. Any residence licensing more than five dogs shall be considered a "kennel" and shall be required to adhere to the provisions of Section 4-5 of the Township Code, including the inspection of the property by the County Board of Health. Notwithstanding the above limitation on the number of dogs permitted in a household, property owners that owned and legally licensed dogs in Southampton as of December 31, 2014, shall be permitted to continue to license those specific previously licensed animals until: 1) the dogs pass; 2) the dogs are donated or sold to another responsible owner; or 3) the owner moves outside of the borders of Southampton. The purpose of this grandfathering provision is to allow for a humane dwindling of dogs at homes with a current quantity greater than five dogs. No owner shall be permitted to license new dogs at a residence if such licensing would exceed the five-dog limitation.
[Amended 7-15-2014 by Ord. No. 2014-15]
The sum to be paid annually for a dog license shall be the fee
for a license of $7.80. An additional fee of $1 shall be paid for
the registration tag, issued, plus $0.20 for the Pilot Clinic Fund.
An additional fee of $3 shall be charged for all nonspayed and nonneutered
dogs. In the event the license is issued after April 1 of any year,
the total license fee shall be paid and the registration fee currently
in effect by the State of New Jersey. A late payment in the amount
of $5 shall be charged in addition to the current fees for a one-year
license ($14 for spayed and $17 for nonspayed after April 1 of licensing
year). License fees shall not be prorated. All licenses and registration
tags shall expire on the last day of January in the year following
their issue.
License forms and uniform official metal registration tags designed
by the State Department of Health shall be issued and shall be numbered
serially and shall bear the year of issuance and the name of the Township
of Southampton.
The owner of any newly acquired dog of licensing age or of any
dog which attains the licensing age shall make application for license
and registration tag for such dog within 10 days after such acquisition
or age attainment. The application shall contain all information necessary
to satisfy any requirements of law including regulations of the State
Department of Health.
Dogs used as guides for blind persons and commonly known as
"seeing eye" dogs shall be licensed and registered as other dogs,
except that the owner or keeper of such dog shall not be required
to pay any fee therefor.
[Amended 7-15-2014 by Ord. No. 2014-15]
Should the animal control officer of Southampton Township issue
a summons for failure to license a dog or failure to attach said license
tag to the dog, the owner thereof shall appear in municipal court
on the return date of the summons if the owner's plea is not
guilty. If the owner of the dog desires to plead guilty to the charge
and pay the fine as appears herein, the owner may do so by appearing
at the Southampton Township Court Violations Bureau or submitting
the summons, pleading guilty and paying the fine by mail to the attention
of the violation bureau.
Failure to obtain a license in violation of Chapter 5 of the Ordinances of Southampton Township shall be punishable by a violation or fine not to exceed $2,000.
a.Â
State Law Incorporated by Reference. The State statute governing
vicious and potentially dangerous dogs, N.J.S.A. 4:19-17 et seq.,
is hereby incorporated in this section by reference.
b.Â
Liability of owner for costs of impoundment and destruction. If a
dog is declared vicious or potentially dangerous pursuant to N.J.S.A.
4:19-17 et seq., and all appeals pertaining hereto have been exhausted,
the owner of the dog shall be liable to the Township of Southampton
for the costs and expenses of impounding a vicious or potentially
dangerous dog in the municipal pound in the amount of $35 per day
and of destroying a vicious dog in the amount of $35.
c.Â
Licensing, registration and identification of potentially dangerous
dogs. The owner of a dog declared potentially dangerous pursuant to
N.J.S.A. 4:19-23 shall apply to the Township Clerk for a potentially
dangerous dog license, municipal registration number and red identification
tag. The Township Clerk shall issue same upon written verification
from the municipal animal control officer that the owner has complied
with the orders of the panel convened pursuant to N.J.S.A. 4:19-21.
The owner shall annually renew said potentially dangerous dog license.
The fee for issuance of a potentially dangerous dog license
and each annual renewal thereof shall be $750.
d.Â
Telephone number for reporting violations of N.J.S.A. 4:19-17 et
seq. The Township Clerk shall publicize a telephone number for reporting
violations of the Act establishing requirements for owners of vicious
and potentially dangerous dogs, N.J.S.A. 4:19-17 et seq., and shall
forward this number to the State Department of Health.
It shall be unlawful for any person owning, keeping, harboring
or having the custody or possession of a dog, whether registered or
not, to permit such dog at any time to be in or upon any public street,
or in or upon any public place, or to permit such dog to run at large
unless such dog at such time, shall be led by a chain, cord, thong
or other leash in the hands of a person capable of leading and controlling
such dog or shall be securely confined in an automobile or other vehicle.
Any vicious dog which shall be in or upon any public street,
or in or upon any public place, or which shall run at large in the
Township in violation of this chapter may be seized, taken into custody,
impounded or destroyed, or otherwise disposed of by the dog catcher,
dog warden, any member of the police force of the Township or by other
person or persons who may be employed or appointed by the Township
or by the Township Committee for the purpose.
The term "vicious dog" where used in this chapter shall mean
and include any dog, which at any time, has attacked or shall attack
a human being or another dog or other domestic animal, while off the
premises occupied by the person owning, keeping, harboring, or having
the custody or possession of the attacking dog.
No female dog in season shall be permitted off the premises
of the owner thereof or of the person keeping or harboring the dog.
No person shall keep, harbor or maintain any dog which habitually
barks, whines, howls or makes other disturbing noises.
No person shall molest, obstruct or interfere with a dog catcher,
a dog warden, a member of the police force of the Township, or any
other representative of the Township while engaged in the enforcement
of this chapter, or any provision hereof.
The chief of police of the Township, or such other person as
may be designated by resolution of the Township Committee, shall make
or cause to be made an annual canvass of all dogs owned, kept, or
harbored within the Township limits and shall file a report thereof
with the Township Clerk not later than January 31 of each year.
