[Adopted 12-6-1966 by Ord. No. 1966-5]
As used in this article, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
DOG
Any dog, bitch or spayed bitch.
OWNER
When applied to the proprietorship of a dog, shall include any person, persons, partnership or corporation harboring, keeping, owning or having any right or property in a dog or dogs within the Township of Shamong.
OWN
The harboring, keeping and having any right of property in a dog or dogs within the Township of Shamong.
A. 
It shall be unlawful for any person to own, as defined in § 54-1, a dog in the Township of Shamong without have obtained a license for it in compliance with provisions set forth in this article.
B. 
A license shall be required for any dog which has attained the age of seven months or which possesses a set of permanent teeth.
An official shall be designated by the Township Committee as dog registrar for the purpose of issuing licenses and maintaining records of registration of the dogs within the Township.
A. 
Any person who shall own a dog who has reached licensing age shall, in the month of January obtain a license and official metal registration tag for each dog so owned.
B. 
The owner of a newly acquired dog of licensing age or of any dog which attains licensing age shall make application for the license and registration tag for such dog within 10 days after such acquisition or age attainment.
The application shall state the breed, sex, age, color and markings of the dog 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 be harboring such dog.
[Amended 12-7-1971 by Ord. No. 1971-5; 12-29-1981 by Ord. No. 1981-5; 10-6-1992 by Ord. No. 1992-6; 7-10-2013 by Ord. No. 2013-06; 11-7-2018 by Ord. No. 2018-11]
A. 
Fee. Pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 151 of the Laws of 1941, its amendments and supplements, and particularly N.J.S.A. 4:19-15.1 et seq., the sum to be paid annually for a dog license and each renewal thereof shall be $12 if obtained on or before March 31 of the licensing year. Thereafter, there shall be a late fee of $10 added to the cost of the license. In addition to the aforesaid license fee, there shall be collected from each person licensing a dog the dog registration tag fee payable to the State of New Jersey in accordance with N.J.S.A. 4:19-15.3, a fee of $3 for any dog of reproductive age which has not had its reproductive capacity permanently altered through sterilization, which shall be forwarded to the State Treasurer pursuant to P.L. 1983, Chapter 172, for deposit in the Animal Population Control Fund, and a fee of $0.20 to be forwarded to the State Treasurer pursuant to P.L. 1983, Chapter 181, for deposit in the Pilot Clinic Fund.
B. 
Exception. Dogs used as guide dogs or service dogs to assist persons with disabilities shall be licensed and registered in the same manner as other dogs, except that the owner or keeper shall not be required to pay any fee.
A. 
A canvass of dogs in the Township shall be taken by the dog controller or by a person appointed by the Township Committee, which individual shall, on or before March 1 of each year, render a report to the dog registrar, to the Township Board of Health and to the State Department of Health of the results of the canvass, setting forth the names and addresses of the persons owning unlicensed dogs and the number of unlicensed dogs owned by each of said persons, together with a complete description of each unlicensed dog.
B. 
Notice shall be given forthwith in writing to the owner of said unlicensed dog or dogs that unless a license shall be secured not later than 10 days after the date of said notice at the regular license fee, plus $1 for each unlicensed dog as a penalty for his neglect for securing same, said unlicensed dog or dogs may be seized on or off of the owners property without the necessity of any arrest warrant or court order and impounded in the dog pound.
C. 
Said unlicensed dog or dogs shall be released to the owner at the pound or shelter upon payment of the regular license fee, plus a penalty of $3 for each day, within five calender days after the date of seizure, and in the absence of such payment, said unlicensed dog or dogs shall be put to death humanely on the sixth day after the date of seizure, except as provided hereinafter.
Any person who falls to obtain a license for a dog owned by him within the time provided for in this article or removes the registration tag from a dog without the owners consent shall be liable to a penalty of not less than $5 nor more than $50 for each offense, except for the first offense in cases of failure to obtain a license for an individual dog within the time provided for in this article, the penalty shall be not less than $2 nor more than $50.