Township of Bernards, NJ Impounding and Destruction of Certain Dogs

[Ord. #137, § 10; Ord. 8-20-68; Ord. #2236, 5-28-2013, added]

The Animal Control Officer of the Township shall take into custody and impound, or cause to be taken into custody and impounded, any of the following dogs:

Any unlicensed dog running at large in violation of the provisions of this chapter.

Any dog off the premises of the owner or which the Animal Control Officer or his agent has reason to believe is a stray dog.

Any dog off the premises of the owner without a current registration tag on its collar.

Any female dog in season off the premises of the owner or of the person keeping or harboring such dog.

Any dog which has been determined to be a vicious dog as provided in Section 5-6. If vicious dogs cannot be seized with safety, they may be killed.

§ 5-7.2 Access to Premises.

[Ord. #137, § 10; Ord. #2236, 5-28-2013, added]

Any officer or agent authorized or empowered to perform any duty under this chapter is authorized to go upon any premises to seize for impounding any dog which he may lawfully seize and impound when he is in immediate pursuit of such dog, except upon the premises of the owner of the dog if the owner is present and forbids it.

§ 5-7.3 Notice of Seizure.

[Ord. 8-20-68; Ord. #1085; Ord. #2236, 5-28-2013, added]

If any dog impounded wears a registration tag, collar or harness having inscribed on it or attached to it the name and address of any person or the owner of the dog, the Animal Control Officer shall immediately serve on the person whose address is given on the collar or on the person owning the dog, a notice in writing stating that the dog has been seized and will be liable to be offered for adoption or destroyed if not claimed within seven days after the service of the notice. A notice under this subsection 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 abode, 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 abode, or to the address given on the collar.

§ 5-7.4 Disposition of Unclaimed Dogs; Reclaiming Charges.

[Ord. #137, § 8; Ord. 8-20-68; Ord. #518, § 1; Ord. #714; Ord. #2236, 5-28-2013, added]

When any dog has been seized in accordance with the provisions of this section and has been detained for seven days after such notice, when notice can be given as set forth in Subsection 5-7.3, or has been detained for seven days after seizure, when no notice has been given as set forth in Subsection 5-7.3, and if the owner or person keeping or harboring said dog has not claimed said dog and paid all expenses incurred by reasons of its detention as hereinafter provided, and if the dog is unlicensed at the time of seizure and the owner or person keeping or harboring said dog has not produced a license and registration tag for said dog, the Animal Control Officer may cause the dog to be destroyed in as humane a manner as possible. The following charges shall be paid to the Township as expenses incurred by reason of detention in accordance with the provisions of this section.

Any fees and costs associated with impounding a dog shall be the responsibility of the owner of the dog and shall be paid by the owner to the kennel at the time that the dog is reclaimed from the kennel. All fees and costs shall be in accordance with the current contract between the Township and the kennel. Such fees and costs shall include fees charged in accordance with the contract for after hours animal drop off, if applicable.

The charges specified herein shall be paid to the Township of Bernards Animal Control Officer, and a receipt shall be delivered to the person paying such charges, which receipt will be the authority for the Animal Control Officer to release the dog to the owner or person claiming such dog.