[Adopted 8-21-1990 by Ord. No. 13:6-90]
As used in this article, the following terms
shall have the meanings indicated:
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.
Any member of the domestic feline species; male, female or
altered.
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.
Any individual, corporation, partnership, organization or
institution commonly recognized by law as a unit.
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.
In the event a cat needs to be quarantined or
destroyed by the Township, the owner shall be responsible for the
cost of quarantine and/or destruction.
[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.
