[HISTORY: Adopted by the Mayor and Council of the Borough of Ho-Ho-Kus 4-23-1991 by Ord. No. 676. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Prohibited animals — See Ch. 5.
Dogs — See Ch. 18.
Excessive number of dogs and cats — See Ch. 18A.
Pet waste — See Ch. 43.
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
ALTERED
Rendered permanently incapable of reproduction as certified by a licensed veterinarian.
ANIMAL
A dog or cat.
ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICER
Any person or agency designated or certified by the State of New Jersey to enforce the provisions of this chapter.
CAT
Any member of the domestic feline species, male, female or altered.
CAT OF LICENSING AGE
Any cat which has attained the age of six months or which possesses a set of permanent teeth.
LICENSING AUTHORITY
The agency or department of the Borough of Ho-Ho-Kus or any designated representative thereof charged with administering the issuance and/or revocation of permits and licenses under the provisions of this chapter.
MULTIOWNER
One who owns more than two cats.
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 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.
A. 
Vaccination and license requirements. No person shall own, keep, harbor or maintain any cat over six months of age within the Borough of Ho-Ho-Kus unless such cat is vaccinated and licensed. The Clerk shall not grant any such license and official registration tag for any cat unless the owner thereof provides evidence that the cat to be licensed and registered has been inoculated with a rabies vaccine in a manner required by law by a duly licensed veterinarian. The duration of immunity against rabies must cover the duration of the licensing period. If the duration of immunity expires during the period of licensure, it shall be the obligation of the cat owner to have the cat revaccinated prior to the issuance of the license. The provisions of this section do not apply to cats held in a veterinary establishment where cats are received or kept for diagnostic, medical, surgical or other treatments.
[Amended 11-24-1992 by Ord. No. 710]
B. 
Vaccination. All cats shall be vaccinated against rabies by a licensed veterinarian of the State of New Jersey in accordance with the latest "Compendium of Animal Rabies Vaccines and Recommendations for Immunization," published by the National Association of the Public Health Veterinarians, except as provided for in Subsection D.
C. 
Vaccination certificate. A certificate of vaccination shall be issued to the owner of each animal vaccinated on a form recommended by the state.
D. 
Exemptions. Any cat may be exempted from the requirements of such vaccination for a specified period of time by the Ho-Ho-Kus 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 vaccination of such cat shall be deemed inadvisable.
A. 
Cats must have license number displayed. Any person who shall own, keep or harbor a cat of licensing age shall annually apply for and procure from the Borough Clerk, or other official designated by the governing body thereof, a license and official registration tag with license number or a registration sleeve for each cat so owned, kept or harbored. Acceptable methods of displaying the license number shall include, but are not limited to, an official license tag or sleeve securely affixed to a breakaway or elastic collar, an ear tattoo or earmarking tag. 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 for such cat within 10 days after such acquisition or age attainment. The requirement will not apply to a nonresident keeping a cat within the Borough of Ho-Ho-Kus for no longer than 90 days.
C. 
Cats brought into jurisdiction.
(1) 
Any person who shall bring or cause to be brought into the Borough of Ho-Ho-Kus any cat licensed in another state for the current year and displaying such license as required by this chapter and shall keep the same or permit the same to be kept within the Borough of Ho-Ho-Kus for a period of more than 90 days shall immediately apply for a license for each such cat.
(2) 
Any person who shall bring or cause to be brought into the Borough of Ho-Ho-Kus any unlicensed cat and shall keep the same or permit the same to be kept within the Borough of Ho-Ho-Kus for a period of more than 10 days shall immediately apply for a license for each cat unless otherwise exempted under this chapter.
D. 
Application; contents; preservation of information. The application shall state the breed, sex, age, color and markings of the cat for which license is sought and whether it is of a long- or shorthaired variety; the date on which such cat was vaccinated against rabies and also the name, street, post office address and phone number of the owner; and the person who shall keep or harbor such cat. The information on said application and the registration number issued for the cat shall be preserved for a period of one year by the Borough Clerk or other designated official.
E. 
License forms and tags. License forms and official tags or sleeves shall be furnished by the Borough and shall be numbered serially and shall bear the year of issuance and the name of the Borough. If the owner shall elect to have the license number displayed by ear tattoo or ear tag, the same number shall be issued each year starting with the letter "H."
F. 
Evidence of rabies vaccination or certification of exemption; requirement for license. The Borough Clerk or other official designated by the governing body to license cats shall not grant any such license for any cat unless the owner thereof provides evidence that the cat to be licensed and registered has been vaccinated or has been certified exempt as provided by § 13-2 of this chapter.
G. 
License fee schedule.
[Amended 11-26-2010 by Ord. No. 975; 11-27-2018 by Ord. No. 2018-14]
(1) 
The cat license annual fee shall be $20 for each nonaltered or altered cat. There will be a $5 renewal fee for each additional cat after three. The cat license shall expire on the last day of January in each year. Persons who fail to obtain a license and registration tag, as required, prior to February 28 in each year, will be subject to a late fee based upon the following schedule:
Late Fee Schedule (after 2/28):
Date
Fee
3/1 through 3/31
$10 plus license fee
4/1 through 4/30
$15 plus license fee
5/1 through 5/31
$20 plus license fee
6/1 through 6/30
$25 plus license fee
7/1 through 7/31
$30 plus license fee
8/1 through 8/31
$35 plus license fee
9/1 through 9/30
$40 plus license fee
10/1 through 10/31
$45 plus license fee
11/1 through 11/30
$50 plus license fee
12/1 through 12/31
$55 plus license fee
(2) 
No license fee shall be prorated for any portion of the licensing year. Volunteers serving the Borough shall be exempt from the foregoing fees.
H. 
Fees; renewals; expiration date of license.
(1) 
A license from another municipality shall be accepted. The fee for the renewal of a license shall be the same as for the original.
(2) 
Licenses shall expire on December 31 of each year. Any valid New Jersey license tag or sleeve issued by a New Jersey municipality shall be accepted by this Borough 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 or animal control officer.
K. 
Interfering with persons performing duties under this chapter. No person shall hinder, molest or interfere with anyone authorized and empowered to perform any duty under this chapter.
L. 
Disposition of fees collected. License fees and other moneys collected or received under the provisions of this chapter shall be forwarded to the Borough Treasurer and shall be placed in the Dog License Account of the Borough and shall be used for the following purposes only: collecting, keeping and disposing of cats liable to seizure, for local prevention and control of rabies, for providing antirabies treatment under the direction of the Local Board of Health for any person known or suspected to be exposed to rabies and for administering the provisions of this chapter. Any unexpended 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 fiscal year following and at the end of the fiscal year thereafter, there shall be transferred from such special account to the general funds of the Borough 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.
M. 
Sick or diseased cats. Any cat showing a change in disposition or illness suggesting it might have rabies or any cat that bites another animal or human may be required by the Health Officer, Animal Control Officer or designated agent to be quarantined for a period of 10 days. Owners or those harboring cats evidencing a change in disposition or illness suggesting that it may be rabies may be required to have such animal examined by an approved veterinarian. Any cost incurred in quarantining such animal or veterinary service examination shall be paid for by the owner or harborer of such cat or cats.
The Chief of Police of the Borough shall annually cause a canvass of all cats owned, kept or harbored within the limits of the Borough and shall report on or before May 31 of each year to the Borough Clerk, Borough Board of Health and to the State Department of Health (if required by law) the result thereof, setting forth the names and addresses of persons owning, keeping or harboring such cats; the number of licensed cats owned, kept or harbored by each of said persons, together with the license numbers of each of said cats; and also setting forth the names and addresses of persons owning, keeping or harboring unlicensed cats and the number of unlicensed cats owned, kept or harbored by each said person, together with a complete description of each unlicensed cat.
Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, any person who violates or who fails or refuses to comply with this chapter shall be liable to a penalty of no more than $50 for each offense, to be recovered by and in the name of the Ho-Ho-Kus Board of Health or by and in the name of the Borough.
All other ordinances of the Borough of Ho-Ho-Kus which are in conflict with this chapter are hereby repealed to the extent of such conflict.
If any part of this chapter shall be invalid, such parts shall be deemed severable, and the invalidity thereof shall not affect the remaining parts of this chapter.
This chapter shall be in full force and effect 90 days after final passage and publication according to law.