As used in this article, the following terms
shall have the meanings indicated:
ANIMAL
For the purpose of this article, "animal" shall mean dog
or cat.
ANIMAL CONTROL AUTHORITY
Any person or agency designated by the Village or authorized
by law to enforce the provisions of this article.
CAT
Any member of the domestic feline species; male, female or
neutered.
CAT OF LICENSING AGE
Any cat which has attained the age of three months or which
possesses a set of permanent teeth.
CATTERY
Any room or group of rooms, cage or exhibition pen, not part
of a kennel, wherein cats for sale are kept or displayed.
LICENSING AUTHORITY
The Village Clerk of the Village of Ridgefield Park shall
be charged with administering the issuance and revocation of permits
and licenses under the provisions of this article.
NEUTERED
Rendered permanently incapable of reproduction, as certified
by a licensed veterinarian.
OWNER
When applied to the proprietorship of a cat, shall include
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
Inoculation against rabies performed by a licensed veterinarian
or such person permitted by law to do the same under the supervision
of a veterinarian, in accordance with the latest Compendium of Animal
Rabies Vaccines and Recommendations for Immunization published by
the National Association of State Public Health Veterinarians.
VETERINARIAN
Any person licensed to practice veterinary medicine by any
state of the United States.
[Amended 9-26-2006 by Ord. No. 06-15]
A. The Village Animal Control Officer shall take into
custody and impound or cause to be taken into custody and impounded
and thereafter destroyed or disposed of as provided in this section:
(1) Any cat off the premises of the owner or of the person
keeping or harboring such cat which the Animal Control Officer or
his agent has reason to believe is a stray cat.
(2) Any cat off the premises of the owner or of the person
keeping or harboring such cat without a current registration tag on
its collar.
(3) Any female cat in season off the premises of the owner
or of the person keeping or harboring such cat.
B. If any cat so seized wears a collar or registration
tag having inscribed thereon or attached thereto the name and address
of any person or if the owner or the person keeping or harboring such
cat is known, the Animal Control Officer shall forthwith serve on
the person whose address is given on the collar or on the owner or
the person keeping or harboring such cat, if known, a notice in writing,
stating that the cat has been seized and will be liable to be disposed
of or destroyed if not claimed within seven days after service of
the notice.
C. A notice under this section may be served either by
personally 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 registration tag.
D. When any cat so seized has been detained for seven
days after notice, when notice can be given as above set forth, and
if the owner or person keeping or harboring such cat has not claimed
such cat and paid all expenses incurred by reason if its detention,
including maintenance not exceeding $4 per day, and if the cat is
unlicensed at the time of the seizure and the owner or person keeping
or harboring such cat has not produced a license and registration
tag for such cat, the Animal Control Officer may cause the cat to
be offered for adoption of destroyed.
[Amended 9-26-2006 by Ord. No. 06-15]
Except as otherwise provided in this Article
III, any person who violates or who fails or refuses to comply with the provisions of this article shall be liable to a penalty of not less than $50 nor more than $500.