[Adopted 8-5-1991 by Ord. No. 91-10 (Ch. 86 of the 1985 Code)]
As used in this article, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
ANIMAL CONTROL AUTHORITY
Any person or agency designated or certified by the State of New Jersey to enforce the provisions of this article.[1]
CAT
Any member of the feline species, male, female or altered.
CAT OF LICENSING AGE
Any cat which has attained the age of seven months or which possesses a set of permanent teeth.
CATTERY
Any room or group of rooms, cage or exhibition pen, not a part of a kennel, wherein cats for sale are kept or displayed.[2]
OWNER
When applied to the proprietorship of a cat, includes every person having a right of property (or custody) in such cat and every person who has such a 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.
[1]
Editor's Note: The former definition of "animal," which immediately preceded this definition, was deleted at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).
[2]
Editor's Note: The former definitions of "licensing authority" and "neutered," which immediately followed this definition, were deleted at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).
A. 
No person shall own, keep, harbor or maintain any cat over seven months of age within the Borough of Woodcliff Lake unless such cat is vaccinated and licensed. The provisions of this section do not apply to cats held in a cattery or those held by a state or federal licensed research facility or a veterinary establishment where cats are received or kept for diagnostic, medical, surgical or other treatments or licensed animal shelters, pounds, kennels or pet shops.
B. 
All cats shall be vaccinated against rabies by a licensed 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, except as provided for in Subsection D.
C. 
Vaccination certificate. A certificate of vaccination, on a form recommended by the state, shall be issued to the owner of each cat vaccinated.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).
D. 
Exemptions. Any cat may be exempted from the requirements of such vaccination for a specified period of time by the local Board of Health, 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.
A. 
Cats must have a license number displayed. Any person who shall own, keep or harbor a cat of licensing age shall annually apply for and procure from the Clerk of the municipality, or other official designated by the governing body thereof to license cats in the municipality in which he/she resides, a license and official registration tag with license number or a registrative sleeve for each cat so owned, kept and harbored. Acceptable methods of displaying license number shall include but are not limited to breakaway or elastic collars. License tags or sleeves are not transferable.
B. 
Time for applying for license. The owner of any newly acquired cat of licensing age or of any cat which attains licensing age shall make application for a license tag or sleeve for such cat within 10 days after such acquisition or age attainment. This requirement will not apply to a nonresident keeping a cat within the Borough of Woodcliff Lake for no longer than 30 days.
C. 
Cats brought into jurisdiction. Any person who shall bring or cause to be brought into the Borough of Woodcliff Lake any cat licensed in another state for the current year and bearing a registration tag or sleeve and who shall keep the same or permit the same to be kept within the Borough of Woodcliff Lake for a period of more than 30 days shall apply for a license and registration tag or sleeve for each cat.
D. 
Application contents, preservation of information. The application shall state the breed, sex, age, color and markings of the cat for which license and registration are sought, and whether it is of a long-haired or short-haired variety; also the name, street and post office address of the owner and the person who shall keep or harbor such a cat. The information on said application and the registration number issued for the cat shall be preserved for a period of three years by the Clerk or other local official designated to license cats in the municipality.
E. 
License forms and tags. License forms and official tags or sleeves shall be furnished by the municipality and shall be numbered serially and shall bear the year of issuance and the name of the municipality.
F. 
Evidence of inoculation with rabies vaccine or certification of exemption; requirement for license. No Municipal Clerk or other official designated by the governing body of any municipality to license cats therein shall grant any such license and official registration tag or sleeve for any cat unless the owner thereof provides evidence that the cat to be licensed and registered has been inoculated with a rabies vaccine of a type approved by and administered in accordance with the recommendations of the United States Department of Agriculture and the United States Department of Human Services or has been certified exempt as provided by § 98-31 of this article. The rabies inoculation shall be administered by a duly licensed veterinarian or by such other veterinarian permitted by law to do the same.
G. 
License fee schedule. A license shall be issued after payment of a fee, as shall be set forth in Chapter 163, Fees, for each cat. Persons who fail to obtain a license as required within the time period specified in this section will be subject to an additional delinquent fee as shall be set forth in Chapter 163, Fees.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).
H. 
Fee, renewals, expiration date of license.
(1) 
A license from another New Jersey municipality shall be accepted. The fee for the renewal of a license and registration tag or sleeve shall be the same as for the original, and said license, registration tag or sleeve and renewal thereof shall expire on January 31 in the following year.
(2) 
Only one license and registration tag or sleeve shall be required in the licensing year for any cat in the Borough of Woodcliff Lake. Any valid New Jersey license tag or sleeve issued by a New Jersey municipality shall be accepted by this municipality as evidence of compliance.
I. 
Loss of license. If a license tag or sleeve has been misplaced or lost, the Borough Clerk may issue a duplicate license and/or registration sleeve for that particular cat.
J. 
Proof of licensing. Proof of licensing shall be produced by any person owning, keeping, maintaining or harboring a cat upon the request of any health official, police officer, Animal Control Officer or other authorized person.
K. 
Interfering with persons performing duties under this article. No person shall hinder, molest or interfere with anyone authorized or empowered to perform any duty under this article.
L. 
Disposition of fees collected. License fees and other moneys collected or received under the provisions of this article shall be forwarded to the Treasurer of the municipality and shall be placed in a special account separate from any of the other accounts of the municipality and shall be used for the following purposes only: collecting, keeping and disposing of cats liable to seizure; local prevention and control of rabies, providing antirabies treatment under the direction of the local Board of Health for any person known or suspected to have been exposed to rabies; and administering the provisions of this article. Any unexpected balance remaining in such special account shall be retained until the end of the third fiscal year following and may be used for any of the purposes set forth in this section. At the end of said third year thereafter, there shall be transferred from such special account to the general funds of the municipality any amount then in such account which is in excess of the total amount paid into the special account during the last two fiscal years next preceding.
[Amended 3-6-2006 by 06-01]
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 a penalty of $51 for each offense, to be recovered by and in the name of the Borough of Woodcliff Lake to be imposed by any judge before whom the matter may be heard.