Township of Egg Harbor, NJ Article I Definitions; General Licensing Procedures

§ 97-1 Definitions.

As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:

BEDDING

Material to provide a bed for a dog.

[Added 7-13-2005 by Ord. No. 36-2005]

CARETAKER

Any person who takes care of the house or land of an owner who may be absent and is responsible for the keeping of a dog.

[Added 7-13-2005 by Ord. No. 36-2005]

DOG

Any dog, bitch or spayed bitch.

DOGHOUSE

A covered and protected domicile for a dog.

[Added 7-13-2005 by Ord. No. 36-2005]

DOG OF LICENSING AGE

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

ENCLOSURE

Any structure used to restrict a dog or dogs to a limited amount of space, such as a pen, run, cage or compartment.

[Added 7-13-2005 by Ord. No. 36-2005]

HANDLER

Any person in immediate physical charge of a dog.

[Added 7-13-2005 by Ord. No. 36-2005]

KEEPER

Any person exercising control over a dog or permitting a dog to remain on premises under his control.

KENNEL

Any establishment wherein or whereon the business of boarding or selling dogs or breeding dogs for sale is carried on, or any premises where more than three dogs are kept, harbored or maintained, except a pet shop.

OWNER

When applied to the proprietorship of a dog, includes every person having a right of property in such dog and every person who has such dog in his keeping.

PEN

An enclosure for a dog.

[Added 7-13-2005 by Ord. No. 36-2005]

PET SHOP

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

POUND

An establishment for the confinement of dogs seized under the provisions of this chapter or otherwise.

SHELTER

Any establishment where dogs are received, housed and distributed without charge.

VICIOUS DOG

Any dog which has been declared by a Municipal Judge to be a vicious dog, which has attacked or bitten any human being or which habitually attacks other dogs or domestic animals.

§ 97-2 Licenses required.

Licenses shall be required for all dogs of licensing age, including:

A. Any dog acquired by any person during the course of any calendar year and kept within the Township for more than 10 days after acquisition.

B. Any unlicensed dog brought into the Township by any person and kept within the Township for more than 10 days.

C. Any dog licensed by another state brought into the Township by any person and kept within the Township for more than 90 days.

§ 97-3 Information required for applications.

A. Each application for a license under this chapter shall give the following information:

(1) A general description of the dog sought to be licensed, including breed, sex, age, color and markings, and whether such dog is of a long- or short-haired variety.

(2) Name, street and post office address of the owner of and the person who shall keep or harbor such dog.

B. Registration numbers shall be issued in the order in which applications are received.

§ 97-4 When applications are required.

Applications for licenses for dogs which are required to be licensed shall be made within 10 days of the day upon which the dog in question first becomes subject to the provisions of this chapter.

§ 97-5 Records.

The information on all applications under this chapter and the registration number issued to each licensed dog shall be preserved for a period of three years by the Township Clerk. In addition, he shall report to the State Department of Health each month on forms furnished by the Department.

§ 97-6 Fees.

[Amended 11-25-1981 by Ord. No. 38-1981; 12-8-1982 by Ord. No. 70-1982; 9-14-1983 by Ord. No. 31-1983; 3-14-1984 by Ord. No. 7-1984; 12-28-1994 by Ord. No. 53-1994; 3-4-2001 by Ord. No. 5-2001]

The annual dog license fees shall be as follows:

A. A dog license issued between January 1 and March 31 shall be:

[Amended 4-11-2007 by Ord. No. 17-2007]

(1) For each spayed or neutered dog with proof, in writing, provided by a veterinarian doctor's certificate or, if such certificate is unobtainable, a sworn affidavit by the applicant for the license: $7.80.

(2) For each dog which is not spayed or neutered: $10.80.

B. Applications for a dog license issued on or after April 1 shall be subject to payment of an additional $3.

C. In addition to the Township fee, state fees shall be imposed and collected simultaneously, pursuant to state law.

D. [1]All dog license fees paid shall include the assessment for the registration tag. The cost for a duplicate registration tag shall be $0.75.

[1] Editor's Note: Former Subsection D, regarding exceptions to the dog license fees, as amended, was repealed 2-25-2009 by Ord. No. 6-2009; said ordinance also redesignated former Subsections E and F as Subsections D and E.

E. A dog which has been determined to be a potentially dangerous dog based upon a court order shall be licensed as such annually for a fee not to exceed $700. The specific amount shall be determined by the Municipal Clerk based upon the associated costs.

[Added 7-12-2006 by Ord. No. 28-2006]

§ 97-7 License expiration date.

Each dog license and registration tag shall expire on January 31 of the calendar year following the calendar year in which it was issued.

§ 97-8 Exceptions.

The provisions of this article shall not apply to any dog licensed under Article II of this chapter. Dogs used as guides for blind persons and commonly known as "Seeing Eye" dogs shall be licensed and registered in the same manner as other dogs, except that the owner or keeper shall not be required to pay any fee.