[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Commissioners
of the Township of Haddon 12-3-1991 by Ord. No. 925. Amendments noted
where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Dogs — See Ch. 104.
As used in this chapter, the following terms
shall have the meanings indicated:
A dog or cat.
Any person or agency designated or certified by the State
of New Jersey to enforce the provisions of this chapter.
Any member of the domestic feline species; male, female or
altered.
Any cat which has attained the age of seven months, or which
possesses a set of permanent teeth.
Shall mean any room or group of rooms, cage or exhibition
pen, not part of a kennel, wherein cats for sale are kept or displayed.
The Department of Licensing, Vital Statistics and Animal
Control, which is charged with administering the issuance and/or revocation
of permits and licenses under the provisions of this chapter.
Rendered permanently incapable of reproduction as certified
by a licensed veterinarian.
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.
Any individual, corporation, partnership, organization or
institution commonly recognized by law as a unit.
Rendered permanently incapable of reproduction as certified
by a licensed veterinarian.
A.
No person shall own, keep, harbor or maintain any
cat over seven months of age within the Township of Haddon 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 or 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.
There shall not be permitted more than five cats of
three months of age or over to be kept or maintained in or on the
premises of any home, dwelling apartment, residential unit or business
place in the Township of Haddon.
A.
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 C.
B.
Vaccination certificate. A certificate of vaccination
shall be issued to the owner of each animal vaccinated on a form recommended
by the state.
C.
Exemptions. Any cat may be exempted from the requirements
of such vaccination for a specified period of time by the local Board
of Health 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.
Any person who owns, keeps or harbors any cat
located within the Township of Haddon or permits a cat to enter the
Township of Haddon shall exercise sufficient and proper care and control
over such animal at all times so as to prevent the animal from becoming
a public nuisance or otherwise violating this chapter.
No person owning, keeping or harboring any cat
shall permit it to soil, defile or commit any nuisance on any place
where people congregate or walk or upon any public property whatsoever.
This provision shall apply to all privately owned property in the
Township, except the property of the owner or keeper of the cat and
the property owned or controlled by persons who have invited or permitted
the owner or keeper of a cat to bring such cat upon the premises.
No person owning or keeping a cat shall permit
such cat to become a public nuisance as defined herein.
No person shall abandon any cat of any age or
permit a cat to become a stray.
[Amended 12-17-2019 by Ord. No. 1402]
Except as provided for in § 91-8.1, no person shall harbor any nonowned, unlicensed or stray cat or make food or shelter available to the same following receipt of a notice from the Secretary of the Township Board of Health advising said person that a harboring in violation of this chapter is occurring and giving said person seven days within which to cease and desist such harboring.
[Added 12-17-2019 by Ord.
No. 1402]
A.
Purpose. The goal of this section is to provide for the care and
control of stray and feral cat populations within the Township to
the extent possible and discourage the unlawful feeding thereof.
B.
ABANDON
CAREGIVER
DOMESTICATED CAT
EARTIPPING
FEED
FERAL CAT
FERAL CAT COLONY
OWNER
PERSON
STRAY CAT
TNR
TNR PROGRAM
Definitions. For purposes of this section, the following terms, phrases,
words and their derivations shall have the meanings stated herein.
When not inconsistent with the context, words used in the present
tense include the future, words used in the plural number include
the singular number, and words used in the singular number include
the plural number. The word "shall" is always mandatory and not merely
directory.
The forsaking entirely of, or the refusal, neglectful or
otherwise, to provide care and support for a domesticated cat.
Any person who provides food, water or shelter to or otherwise
cares for a cat and who agrees to facilitate the TNR program within
the Township.
A cat that is socialized to humans and is appropriate as
a companion for humans.
The straight-line cutting of the tip of the left ear of a
cat while the cat is anesthetized.
To give, place, expose, deposit, distribute, or scatter any
edible material with the intention of feeding, attracting, or enticing.
A cat that exists in a wild or untamed state, either due
to birth or reversion to a wild state from domestication. The usual
and consistent temperament of a feral cat is extreme fear and resistance
to contact with humans. Feral cats are completely or substantially
unsocialized to humans.
A group of cats that congregates, more or less, together
as a unit. Although not every cat in a colony may be feral, any nonferal
cats that congregate with a colony shall be deemed to be a part of
it.
Any person, firm, corporation, company, partnership, association,
trust, estate, or any other legal entity.
An individual, corporation, company, partnership, firm, or
association.
A cat that is regularly off the property of the owner, is
not under the physical control and restraint of the owner, and is
not regularly provided with food by its owner.
Trap, neuter and return.
A program pursuant to which feral and stray cats are trapped,
neutered or spayed, vaccinated against rabies and returned to the
location where they congregate.
C.
Responsibilities of owners of domesticated cats.
(1)
The owner of a domesticated cat shall provide appropriate and adequate
food, water and shelter for said cat.
(2)
The owner of a domesticated cat shall exercise reasonable care to
guard against the cat creating a nuisance.
(3)
The owner of a sexually intact (not spayed or neutered) domesticated
cat shall not permit his/her cat to roam unsupervised.
(4)
An owner shall not abandon a domesticated cat.
E.
Feral cat colonies.
(1)
Feral cat colonies shall be permitted and caregivers shall be entitled
to maintain them in accordance with the terms and conditions of this
section.
(2)
Feral cat caregiver requirements. Caregivers shall be responsible
for the following:
(a)
Registering the feral cat colony with the Township;
(b)
Taking steps that are reasonably likely to result in the vaccination
of the colony population for rabies and making reasonable efforts
to update the vaccinations on cats that can be recaptured;
(c)
Taking steps that are reasonably likely to result in the spay/neuter,
by a licensed veterinarian, of at least 90% of the colony population;
(d)
Providing the Township with descriptions of each cat in the
colony and copies of documents evidencing that the cats have been
vaccinated and spayed/neutered;
(e)
Providing food, water and, if feasible, recovery shelter for
colony cats; provided, however, that no such shelter shall be on public
property;
(f)
Observing the colony cats at least twice per week and keeping
a record of any illnesses or unusual behavior noticed in any colony
cats;
(g)
Obtaining the approval of the owner of any property to which
the caregiver requires access to provide colony care;
(h)
In the event that kittens are born to a colony cat, taking reasonable
steps likely to result in the removal of the kittens from the colony
after they have been weaned and the placement of the kittens in homes
or foster homes for the purpose of subsequent permanent placement;
(i)
Reporting annually, in writing, to the Borough on the status
of the colony, including data on the number and gender of all cats
in the colony, the number of cats that died or otherwise ceased being
a part of the colony during the year; the number of kittens born to
colony cats and their disposition, and the number of cats and kittens
placed in permanent homes as companion cats; and
(j)
Obtaining proper medical attention for any colony cat that appears
to require it.
(3)
Colony cat requirements.
(a)
The left ear of a colony cat that has been spayed or neutered
and vaccinated shall be eartipped.
(b)
An electronic animal identification device (EAID) shall be inserted
into the cat by a veterinarian in accordance with professional medical
standards. The owner or caregiver shall be named the contact person
for purposes of the EAID.
(4)
Disposition of colony cats.
(a)
A Township official who has trapped a cat whose left ear has
been tipped or which bears some other distinguishing mark indicating
that it belongs to a feral cat colony shall scan the cat for an EAID.
If an EAID is found, the official shall be responsible for contacting
the caregiver or other person named as owner of the cat.
(b)
If the owner or caregiver is not able to immediately take custody
of the cat, the cat shall be transported to the Camden County Animal
Shelter. The owner or caregiver shall be responsible for retrieving
the cat from the shelter within three business days or advising the
shelter if the owner or caregiver does not intend to retrieve the
cat.
(5)
Liability for costs. In addition to any fines provided pursuant to § 91-10 of this chapter, any person found keeping, maintaining, caring for, feeding, or in any way attracting or harboring any stray or feral cat in violation of any of the provisions of this chapter shall, upon conviction, be responsible for any costs incurred by the Township of Haddon to capture, collect, or otherwise impound such cat.
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 Clerk of the Township, or other official
designated by the governing body thereof to license cats in the Township
in which he/she resides, a license and official registration tag with
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 or displayed thereto. 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 Haddon for no longer than 90 days.
C.
Cats brought into jurisdiction.
(1)
Any person who shall bring or cause to be brought
into this Township any cat licensed in another state for the current
year and bearing a registration tag or sleeve and shall keep the same
or permit the same to be kept within the Township for a period of
more than 90 days shall immediately apply for a license and registration
tag or sleeve for such cat.
(2)
Any person who shall bring or cause to be brought
into this Township any unlicensed cat and shall keep the same or permit
the same to be kept within the Township 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 short-haired 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 Clerk or other local 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. No municipal clerk or other official designated by the governing body of any municipality 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 recommendation of the United States Department of Agriculture and the United State Department of Human Services or has been certified exempt as provided by § 91-3C 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. A license shall be issued after payment of the fee provided by Chapter 111, Fees.
[Amended 12-26-2006 by Ord. No. 1170]
H.
Fees, renewals and expiration date of license.
(1)
The person applying for the license and registration
tag and/or sleeve shall pay the fee fixed or authorized. The fee for
the renewal of a 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 following
year.
(2)
A license from another municipality shall be accepted.
(3)
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 Township as evidence of compliance.
I.
Loss of license. If a license tag or sleeve has been misplaced or lost, the Township Clerk may issue a duplicate license and/or registration sleeve for that particular cat for the fee specified in Chapter 111, Fees.
[Amended 12-26-2006 by Ord. No. 1170]
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
chapter. No person shall hinder, molest or interfere with anyone authorized
or empowered to perform any duty under this chapter.
L.
Disposition of fees collected. License fees and other
moneys collected or received under the provisions of this chapter
shall be forwarded to the Treasurer of the Township and shall be placed
in a special account separate from any of the other accounts of the
Township and shall be used for the following purposes only: collecting,
keeping and disposing of cats liable to seizure; for local prevention
and control of rabies; providing antirabies treatment under the direction
of the local Board of Health for any person known or suspected to
have been exposed to rabies; and for administering the provisions
of this chapter. Any balance remaining in such special account shall
be retained until the end of the third fiscal year following and may
be used for any of the purposes set forth in this section. At the
end of the said third fiscal year following, and at the end of each
fiscal year thereafter, there shall be transferred from such special
account to the general funds of the Township any amount then in such
account which is in excess of the total amount paid into the special
account during the last two fiscal years next preceding.
Except as otherwise provided in this chapter,
any person who violates or who fails or refuses to comply with this
chapter shall be liable to a penalty of not less than $25 nor more
than $50 for each offense, to be recovered by and in the name of the
municipality.
