[Adopted 7-11-1957 by Ord. No. 244; amended 12-8-1966 by Ord. No.
278; 11-14-1974 by Ord. No. 315; 12-10-1981 by Ord. No. 15-81; 12-12-1991 by Ord. No. 8-91]
[Added 12-9-2009 by Ord.
No. 10-2009]
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the
meanings indicated:
To give, place, expose, deposit, distribute or scatter any
edible material with the intention of feeding, attracting, or enticing
a dog or a cat.
When applied to the proprietorship of a cat or dog, shall
include every person having a right of property (or custody) in such
cat or dog and every person who has such cat or dog in his/her keeping,
or who harbors, maintains or feeds a cat or a dog or knowingly permits
a cat or dog to remain on or off any premises occupied by that person.
Any individual, corporation, company, partnership, firm,
association or political subdivision of this state subject to municipal
jurisdiction.
Any person who shall own, keep or harbor a cat
or dog of licensing age shall in the month of January of each year
apply for and procure from the Borough Clerk a license and official
metal registration tag for each cat or dog owned, kept or harbored
and shall place on each such cat or dog a collar or harness with said
registration tag securely fastened thereto.
A.
The person applying for the license tag shall pay
the sum of $5 for the license for each dog and/or cat. Each person
is also responsible for any additional fees imposed by the State of
New Jersey. For each annual renewal, the fee for the license and for
the registration tag shall be the same as for the original license
and tag. Licenses, registration tags and their renewals shall expire
on the last day of January of each year.
[Amended 11-14-1974 by Ord. No. 315; 9-10-2014 by Ord. No. 11-2014]
B.
Dogs used as guides for blind persons and commonly
known as "Seeing Eye" dogs shall be licensed and registered as required
for other dogs, except that the owner, keeper or harborer of such
a dog shall not be required to pay any fee.
The owner of any newly acquired cat or dog of
licensing age or of any cat or dog which attains licensing age shall
make application for and procure a license and registration tag for
such animal within 10 days after acquisition or age attainment. An
animal of licensing age shall be any cat or dog which has attained
the age of seven months or which possesses a set of permanent teeth.
There shall be no adjustment of the license or registration fee for
licenses or registration tags issued and valid for a fractional portion
of the license year.
[Added 11-14-1974 by Ord.
No. 315]
Whenever an application for the issuance of a cat or dog license or renewal of the same is made after the time period set forth in § 45-7A of this chapter has expired, the cost of the issuance shall be $6.
Any person or persons owning, keeping or harboring
a cat or dog shall hold said animal in such restraint that:
A.
It shall not become a nuisance on the public streets,
public places or parks of the borough.
B.
It shall not run at large upon the lands of any person
other than the person owning, keeping or harboring such dog or cat
without the consent of said person.
C.
It shall not injure, damage or impair in any way the
property of any person other than the person owning, keeping or harboring
said cat or dog.
D.
It shall, if a female cat or dog and in season, not
be allowed off the grounds or property of the person owning, keeping
or harboring said animal.
The Chief of Police or any police officer of
the borough or such person as may be duly appointed as Animal Warden
of the borough by the Mayor and Borough Council shall take into custody
and impound and thereafter destroy or dispose of in a humane fashion
as otherwise provided:
A.
Any cat or dog that shall be found running at large
on any of the public streets, public places or parks of the borough,
which said official may have reason to believe is a stray or vicious
animal or an animal not kept in required restraint.
B.
Any cat or dog that shall be found on any of the public
streets, public places or parks of the borough without a current registration
tag as required by this article.
C.
Any female cat or dog in season which shall be found
off the grounds or property of the person owning, keeping or harboring
said animal.
D.
Any cat or dog that shall be found on the grounds
or property of someone other than the person owning, keeping or harboring
said animal, upon an oral or written complaint to the Chief of Police,
as police officer or the Animal Warden by the person or persons who
are the owners or tenants of the grounds or property.
The Chief of Police or any police officer or
the Animal Warden authorized to take into custody any animal under
this article is hereby authorized to go upon any premises to seize
for impounding any animals which he may lawfully seize and impound
when such officer is in immediate pursuit of such animal except upon
the premises of the owner of the animal if said owner is present and
forbids the same.
A.
If any animal so seized wears a collar or harness
bearing the name and address of any person or a current registration
tag, or the person owning, keeping or harboring said animal is known
to the Animal Warden, or any person herein authorized to take into
custody and impound animals, there shall forthwith be served on said
person a notice in writing stating that the animal has been seized
and will be liable to be disposed of or destroyed if not claimed within
seven days after the service of the notice.
B.
Such written notice may be served either by delivering
it to the person on whom it is to be served or by leaving it at the
person's usual or last known place of residence or at the address
given on the collar, or by forwarding it by mail in a prepaid letter
addressed to that person at his usual or last known place of residence
or to the address given on the collar.
C.
In addition to the written notice hereinabove provided
for, the person who, pursuant to this article, shall take into custody
any animal, if the owner of such animal is ascertained, shall attempt
to notify the owner that such animal has been taken into custody in
order to provide the owner an opportunity to repossess such animal
before it is impounded.
[Amended 11-14-1974 by Ord. No. 315]
Any animal seized as herein authorized may be
repossessed upon payment to the Borough Clerk of a sum and a maintenance
charge as provided in the current contract with the Animal Warden.
When any animal so seized has been detained for seven days after notice has been given in the manner herein set forth, or has been detained for seven days after seizure where it has been impossible to give said notice, and if the owner or person owning, keeping or harboring said animal has not claimed the animal and paid the sums set forth in § 45-14 of this article, and if the animal is unlicensed at the time of seizure and the person owning, keeping or harboring said animal has not produced a license and registration tag for said animal, the aforesaid officers authorized to take into custody and impound and thereafter destroy an animal may cause the animal to be destroyed in a humane manner causing as little pain as possible.
Any person found guilty by the Judge of the
Riverton Borough Municipal Court of a violation of the provisions
of this article shall be liable to a penalty not to exceed $500 and
such costs of Court as may be deemed reasonable for each offense.
