As used in this article, the following terms
shall have the meanings indicated:
ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICER
Any person or agency designated or certified by the State
of New Jersey and/or the Township of Chester to enforce the provisions
of this article and animal control laws.
CAT
Any member of the domestic feline species; male, female or
altered.
OWNER OF A CAT
Includes 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.
VACCINATION AGE
Any cat which has attained the age of seven months or which
possesses a set of permanent teeth.
Upon the request of any authorized agent of
the Township Board of Health or upon the request of any police officer
or Animal Control Officer, a resident of the Township of Chester who
is the owner of a cat shall provide evidence that such cat has been
inoculated against rabies and that the period during which such inoculation
is considered to be effective has not expired.
Any cat may be exempted from the requirements
of such vaccination for a specified period of time by the local Board
of Health or Animal Control Officer 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.
In the event a cat needs to be quarantined or
destroyed by the Township, the owner shall be responsible for the
cost of quarantine and/or destruction.
[Amended 6-2-1997; 3-20-2007 by Ord. No. 2007-2]
Except as otherwise provided in this article,
any person who violates or who fails or refuses to comply with this
article shall be liable to one or more of the following: a penalty
of not less than $100 nor more than $1,000, imprisonment for a period
not to exceed 90 days or a period of community service not to exceed
90 days for each offense, to be recovered by and in the name of the
municipality. Each day's continued violation shall constitute a separate
offense. The animal's owner or the person to whom the owner has entrusted
the animal's care, shall be responsible for complying with and being
subject to this article.