As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
DOG
A member of the species of domestic dog, Canis familiaris.
[Amended 10-25-2016 by Ord. No. 2406-2016]
DOG OF LICENSING AGE
Any dog which has attained the age of seven months or which possesses a set of permanent teeth.
KENNEL
Any establishment wherein or whereon the business of boarding or selling dogs or breeding dogs for sale is carried on, except a pet shop.
OWNER
When applied to the proprietorship of a dog, shall include every person having a right of property in such dog and every person who has such dog in his/her keeping, or harbors the same.
PET SHOP
Any place of business which is not part of a kennel, wherein animals, including, but not limited to, dogs, cats, birds, fish, reptiles, rabbits, hamsters or gerbils, are kept or displayed chiefly for the purpose of sale to individuals for personal appreciation and companionship rather than for business or research purposes.
[Amended 10-13-2015 by Ord. No. 2366-2015]
POUND
An establishment for the confinement of dogs seized either under the provisions of this article or otherwise.
SHELTER
Any establishment where dogs are received, housed and/or distributed.
VICIOUS DOG
Any dog which has bitten a person.
The following regulations are hereby established for keeping dogs in the Borough of Fair Lawn, pursuant to the provisions of N.J.S.A. 4:19-15.1 et seq.
A. 
License required; placing tag on dog. Any person who shall own, keep or harbor a dog of licensing age shall annually in the month of January apply for and procure from the licensing officer a license and official metal registration tag for each such dog so owned, kept or harbored and shall place upon each such dog a collar or harness with the registration tag securely fastened thereto.
B. 
Fees; renewals; expiration date of license; exceptions.
[Amended 4-24-1990 by Ord. No. 1448-90; 5-14-1996 by Ord. No. 1630-96; 3-27-2001 by Ord. No. 1848-2001]
(1) 
The person applying for the license shall pay fees as follows:
(a) 
For any sterilized dog over the age of six months, for which proof of sterilization must be presented at the time of application: the fee as provided in § 94-12B(1)(a).
(b) 
For any nonsterilized dog over the age of six months: the fee as provided in § 94-12B(1)(b).
(c) 
For three-year licenses covering a three-year period for any sterilized dog over the age of six months, for which proof of sterilization must be presented at the time of application, and for a three-year license for any nonsterilized dog over the age of six months: the fees as provided in § 94-12B(1)(a) and (b).
(2) 
Except for three-year licenses, which shall be renewed every three years, each license shall be renewed annually. Proof of rabies immunization must be presented at the time of license or renewal application. Said licenses and renewals thereof shall expire on the 31st day of January.
(3) 
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" or dogs used to assist deaf persons and commonly known as "hearing ear dogs" shall be licensed and registered as other dogs hereinabove provided for, except that the owner or keeper of such dog shall not be required to pay any fee therefor.
(4) 
A person registering a dog declared by the Municipal Court or Superior Court to be potentially dangerous dog in accordance with state law shall pay the sum of $700 per year as a license fee pursuant to N.J.S.A. 4:19-31.
[Added 6-18-2013 by Ord. No. 2280-2013]
C. 
Late fee. Anyone failing to obtain annual renewal of a license, registration tag on or before January 31 in each year shall pay an additional amount as a late fee, as set from time to time by resolution of the Borough Council.[1] This late fee is in addition to the penalty set forth in § 62-6.
[Added 5-23-1995 by Ord. No. 1599-95]
[1]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 94, Fees, Art. VI, Schedule of Fees.
D. 
License forms and metal tags; numbering and dating. 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 Borough of Fair Lawn.
E. 
Time for applying for first license for dog. The owner of any newly acquired dog of licensing age, or of any dog which attains the licensing age, as in said Act provided, shall make application for license and registration tag for such dog within 10 days after such acquisition or age attainment. The application shall contain the information as in said Act required.
F. 
Dogs licensed in another state and brought into this state. Any person who shall bring or cause to be brought into this state any dog licensed in another state for the current year, and bearing a registration tag, and shall keep the same or permit the same to be kept within the state for a period of more than 90 days shall immediately apply for a license under Subsections A and B above.
G. 
Unlicensed dogs brought into this state. Any person who shall bring or cause to be brought into this state any unlicensed dog and shall keep the same or permit the same to be kept within the state for a period of more than 10 days shall immediately apply for a license and registration tag for each such dog unless such dog be licensed under Subsections A and B above.
H. 
Removing tag from dog without owner's consent; attaching tag to another dog. No person, except an officer in the performance of his/her duties, shall remove a registration tag from the collar of any dog without the consent of the owner, nor shall any person attach a registration tag to a dog for which it was not issued.
I. 
Forwarding information to State Department of Health. The licensing officer shall forward to the State Department of Health each month, on forms furnished by the State Department, the information contained in the application.
J. 
Order of issuance of registration numbers. Registration numbers shall be issued in the order of the applications.
[Amended 5-23-1995 by Ord. No. 1599-95; 10-13-2015 by Ord. No. 2366-2015; 11-25-2025 by Ord. No. 2762-2025]
A. 
License required. Any person who keeps or operates, or proposes to establish a kennel, pet shop, shelter or a pound, shall apply to the Health Department for a license entitling him/her to keep or operate such establishment. Such application shall describe the premises where the establishment is located or is proposed to be located, the purpose or purposes for which it is to be maintained and shall be accompanied by the written approval of the borough Health Department and the borough veterinarian showing compliance with the local and state rules and regulations governing the location of and sanitation at such establishment.
B. 
Expiration date; revocation. All licenses issued for a kennel, pet shop or shelter shall state the purpose for which the establishment is maintained, and all such licenses shall expire on June 30 of each year and be subject to revocation by the municipality on recommendation of the State Department of Health or the borough Health Department or the borough veterinarian for failure to comply with the rules and regulations of the State Department of Health or the borough Health Department after the owner has been afforded a hearing by either the State Department or Health Department.
C. 
Permitting dog off premises of kennel, pet shop, shelter or pound. No dog kept in a kennel, pet shop, shelter or pound shall be permitted off such premises except on leash or in a crate or other safe control.
D. 
License fees for kennels and pet shops; no fee for shelter.[1] The annual license fee for a kennel providing accommodations for dogs or cats shall be set by ordinance. The annual license fee for a pet shop shall be as set by ordinance of the Borough Council. No fee shall be charged for a shelter.
[1]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 94, Fees, Art. VI, Schedule of Fees.
E. 
Disposition of fees. License fees collected or received under the provisions of this chapter, except registration tag fees, shall be received and disposed of in the manner provided in said Act.
F. 
There shall be a fee for an annual inspection: the fee as provided in § 94-12B(5).
A. 
Annual report. The Animal Control Officer of the borough shall annually cause a canvass to be made of all dogs owned, kept or harbored within the limits of the borough and shall cause a report of the result thereof to be filed with the Municipal Clerk, the Health Department and the State Department of Health in the manner and form required in this article.
B. 
List of licensed animals to be at disposal of Animal Control Officer. The Animal Control Officer of the borough shall have at his/her disposal the complete list of animals licensed by the Municipal Clerk.
C. 
Noninterference with officers. No person shall hinder, molest or interfere with anyone authorized or empowered to perform any duty under this article.
A. 
Reasons for impounding. The Animal Control Officer of the borough or any member of his/her department shall take into custody and impound for a reasonable period and thereafter make reasonable efforts to place the animal in a no-kill shelter, destroy or offer for adoption or dispose of any stray dog, unlicensed dog or female dog in season as provided for in the State Act.
B. 
The following regulations shall apply to dogs taken into custody and the redemption thereof:
(1) 
Any impounded animal may be redeemed from the dog pound by the owner if such owner shall pay a fee as set from time to time by resolution of the Borough Council. If the dog has been taken into custody for the second time, the fee shall be as set from time to time by resolution of the Borough Council.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 94, Fees, Art. VI, Schedule of Fees.
(2) 
The redemption of any unlicensed animal is prohibited until such time as the proper license be acquired.
(3) 
No animal shall be released from the dog pound unless the veterinarian of the borough has first certified it to be in a condition that will not endanger the public health, safety and welfare.
(4) 
Notwithstanding the provisions of any other section or of any other ordinance, any licensed animal or animal for which the owner is known that has been impounded for the required period of seven days and not claimed by the owner thereof, or any stray or unlicensed animal impounded for more than seven days and unclaimed by the owner thereof, or any animal surrendered by the owner or person having custody thereof, may thereafter be released to any representative of a duly incorporated humane organization or to any other responsible person for replacement or adoption upon payment of a fee as provided in the Fee Schedule if, in the judgment of a state-certified Animal Control Officer, such animal will thereby receive humane care and treatment, and provided further that any animal released to a local resident must be properly licensed as required by local ordinance or state statute.
Any person who violates any provisions of this chapter or who fails or refuses to comply with the provisions of the Act referred to in this article shall, upon conviction, be liable to the penalty as stated in Chapter 1, General Provisions, Article III, for each offense.
[Amended 5-10-1988 by Ord. No. 1395-88; 5-23-1995 by Ord. No. 1599-95; 3-24-1998 by Ord. No. 1718-98]
The following schedule of fees is hereby established.
A. 
The Animal Control Officer of the borough is hereby empowered with the following duties and responsibilities.
B. 
Record. The Animal Control Officer of the borough shall keep a record of all animals taken into custody by him/her, and the record shall include the following: species and complete description of the animal, when and where the animal was taken into custody, who reported the stray animal if such a report was made, where such report was made, and final disposition of the animal.
C. 
Complaints. The Animal Control Officer shall process all complaints in reference to animals and shall keep a record of all complaints, the parties involved, and the action taken. No action shall be taken by the Animal Control Officer on any complaint unless the name and address of the complaining party is included and made a part of the complaint.
D. 
Inspections. The Animal Control Officer shall establish zones of inspection and shall rotate his/her hours of inspection of these zones so that the entire borough is inspected at different time intervals at least once every three to five days.
E. 
Destruction of animals. The Animal Control Officer shall not destroy any animal except as provided in this chapter, but may destroy an animal upon receipt of the written consent of the proven owner of the animal if the borough veterinarian so authorizes in writing.
F. 
Hours pound to be open. The borough dog pound shall be open to the public daily at hours recommended by the Animal Control Officer and approved by the Mayor and Council.
G. 
Enforcement. The Animal Control Officer of the borough shall cause the provisions of this article to be enforced as herein provided, and any persons interfering with the enforcement of this article shall be liable to the penalty as stated in Chapter 1, General Provisions, Article III.
The following regulations are hereby adopted in connection with the owning, keeping or harboring of dogs in order to protect the public health, safety and welfare.
A. 
Vicious dogs; howling and barking. No person shall keep or harbor any vicious dog or any dog which shall disturb the neighborhood by excessive barking, whining or howling.
B. 
Running at large prohibited. No person owning, keeping or harboring any dog shall permit his/her dog to run at large but shall keep such dog confined to the premises designated in the license application or, when not confined there, shall be kept in strict control on a leash in the hands of a responsible person.
C. 
Restraint of dog on private property. No person being the owner or in charge or control of any dog shall allow or permit it to defecate upon or to otherwise soil, defile or commit any nuisance upon any private property other than the property of the person unless with the consent of the owner of private property, in which instance a complaint is only fileable by the owner of the property.
D. 
Feces; removal required. No person being the owner or in charge or control of any dog shall allow or permit it to defecate upon or otherwise soil, defile or commit any nuisance upon any public property. When the dog shall have defecated in the portion of a public street between the curb lines, it shall not be considered a violation of this chapter if, and only if, the person owning or in charge.or control shall immediately remove and dispose of all feces thus deposited in a sanitary manner.
E. 
Number of dogs limited. No more than three dogs of licensing age shall be kept, maintained or harbored at one time in any residential housing unit or on its grounds or in any business establishment or on its grounds. This restriction shall not apply to properly licensed pet shops, kennels, shelters and pounds.
[Amended 11-25-2025 by Ord. No. 2762-2025]
The veterinarian of the borough is hereby empowered with the following duties and responsibilities.
A. 
Reporting dog bites. Every practicing physician in the borough is hereby required to report any dog bite case treated by such physician to the Health Department or to the Police Department within the twenty-four-hour period immediately following the treatment of such dog bite case and shall give the following information if known: name and address of person bitten, exact location of the bite, when it occurred, name and address of the owner or custodian of the dog, and his/her own name and address. Any person having knowledge of a dog bite incident shall also be required to report the same to the Health Department or Police Department.
B. 
Quarantine of dogs. Every veterinary surgeon or practitioner who examines, treats or receives knowledge of any animal having glanders, farcy, hydrophobia, rabies or any other like contagious or dangerous disease shall, within 24 hours thereafter, present in writing to the borough veterinarian or to the borough Animal Control Officer, the following statement of facts relating thereto: Location and description of the animal, name and address of the owner or custodian, the nature and character of the disease, and all other particulars and information as may be peculiar or pertinent to the case.
C. 
Reporting diseases of animal origin. Every practicing physician in the borough is hereby requested to report to the Health Department or borough veterinarian any case of a disease of animal origin within 24 hours of its diagnosis.
D. 
Rabies quarantine. The borough veterinarian is hereby authorized to order the suspected dog taken into custody, and he/she shall inform the owner of the dog, if known, that the dog is being taken into rabies quarantine for a 10-day period. At the end of the 10-day period, the borough veterinarian, Health Officer or his/her designee, shall do one of the following:
(1) 
Order the release of said dog; or
(2) 
Order any other suitable or appropriate action in regard to said dog in order to protect the public health, safety and welfare.
E. 
Supervision of dog pound. The borough veterinarian is hereby authorized to supervise the borough dog pound as to sanitation, medical treatment of impounded animals and release of animals.
F. 
Consultation with Health Officer and Sanitation Officer. The borough veterinarian shall make himself available to Health Officer and Sanitation Officer for the purposes of consultation concerning problems relating to his/her office.
G. 
Inspections of kennels and businesses. The local Health Department shall inspect all existing kennels, pet shops and shelters annually to approve relicensing and shall inspect any new kennel, pet shop and shelter before it may be licensed. The local Health Department shall annually inspect all places of business engaged in the exhibiting or displaying of animals to the public whether or not an admission be charged.
H. 
Penalty. Any person who interferes with the borough veterinarian in the performance of his/her appointed duties and any physician or veterinarian who fails to comply with the provisions of this article, shall be liable to the penalty as stated in Chapter 1, General Provisions, Article III.