Township of Lopatcong, NJ Vicious Dogs

Any animal found within the Township or harbored or kept within the Township, which the Animal Control Officer has reason to believe is either a vicious animal or a potentially dangerous animal within the meaning of N.J.S.A. 4:19-18 et seq., shall be reported to the Municipal Court of the Township on complaint and summons issued to the owner or person harboring such animal.

Upon a finding by the Municipal Court, after trial, pursuant to N.J.S.A. 4:19-22 and N.J.S.A. 4:19-23 that the subject is either vicious or potentially dangerous, the owner or person harboring said animal shall be required to comply with the provisions of N.J.S.A. 4:19-24 and whenever the animal is not enclosed within a building or other escape-proof enclosure, the owner or person in control of said animal shall have the same securely muzzled and under leash and shall be liable for the costs of the within proceedings and shall be fined up to $1,000.

Any person who owns, harbors or controls an animal which has been declared to be a vicious or potentially dangerous animal found to be running or at large within the Township without being securely muzzled and leashed shall be guilty of a violation of this article and subject to a fine of up to $1,000. For a second or subsequent offense, in addition to a fine, a person convicted of a violation of this section shall be sentenced to a term of incarceration of up to 15 days.

[Added 8-3-2005 by Ord. No. 2005-12]

Each section, subsection, sentence, clause and phrase of this chapter is declared to be an independent section, subsection, sentence, clause and phrase, and the finding or holding of any such portion of this chapter to be unconstitutional, void, or ineffective for any cause or reason shall not affect any other portion of this chapter.