[Adopted 8-21-1990 by Ord. No. 13:6-90]
As used in this article, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICER
Any person or agency designated or certified by the State of New Jersey and/or the Township of Chester to enforce the provisions of this article and animal control laws.
CAT
Any member of the domestic feline species; male, female or altered.
OWNER OF A CAT
Includes 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.
PERSON
Any individual, corporation, partnership, organization or institution commonly recognized by law as a unit.
VACCINATION AGE
Any cat which has attained the age of seven months or which possesses a set of permanent teeth.
A. 
No person shall own, keep, harbor or maintain any cat over seven months of age or which possesses a set of permanent teeth, within the Township of Chester unless such cat is vaccinated as provided herein.
B. 
All cats shall be vaccinated against rabies by a licensed veterinarian in accordance with the latest "Compendium of Animal Rabies Vaccination and Recommendations for Immunization" published by the National Association of State Public Health Veterinarians, except as provided for in Section (d).
Upon the request of any authorized agent of the Township Board of Health or upon the request of any police officer or Animal Control Officer, a resident of the Township of Chester who is the owner of a cat shall provide evidence that such cat has been inoculated against rabies and that the period during which such inoculation is considered to be effective has not expired.
Any cat may be exempted from the requirements of such vaccination for a specified period of time by the local Board of Health or Animal Control Officer 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.
[Amended 6-2-1997; 3-20-2007 by Ord. No. 2007-2]
Except as otherwise provided in this article, any person who violates or who fails or refuses to comply with this article shall be liable to one or more of the following: a penalty of not less than $100 nor more than $1,000, imprisonment for a period not to exceed 90 days or a period of community service not to exceed 90 days for each offense, to be recovered by and in the name of the municipality. Each day's continued violation shall constitute a separate offense. The animal's owner or the person to whom the owner has entrusted the animal's care, shall be responsible for complying with and being subject to this article.