[Adopted 10-1-1991 by Ord. No. 91-28]
As used in this article, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
ANIMAL
Include any quadruped other than a dog.
CAT
Any member of the domestic feline species.
NEUTER or SPAYED
Rendering an animal permanently incapable of reproduction as certified by a licensed veterinarian.
NUISANCE CAT
A cat which habitually causes disturbance to persons other than its owners, whether by reason of excessive and disturbing noise, or by depositing feces on property other than the property of its owners, or otherwise.[1]
OWNER
When applied to the proprietorship of an animal shall include every person having a right of property (or custody) in such animal and any person who has such animal in his/her keeping or who harbors or maintains an animal or knowingly permits an animal to remain on or about any premises occupied by that person.
[1]
Editor's Note: Added 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 City of Englewood, unless such cat is vaccinated and licensed; provided, however, that this section shall not apply to cats held by a state or federally 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 in Subsection D.
C. 
A certificate of vaccination shall be issued to the owner of each animal vaccinated on a form recommended by the state.
D. 
Any cat may be exempt from the requirements of such vaccination for a specified period of time by the Health Officer of the City of Englewood, upon presentation of a veterinarian's certificate that, because of an infirmity or other physical condition or regimen of therapy, the inoculation of such cat is deemed inadvisable.
A. 
Any person who shall own, keep or harbor a cat which has attained the age of seven months or which possesses a set of permanent teeth within the City of Englewood shall annually apply for and procure from the Board of Health or its designee a license and official registration tag with license number, or a registration sleeve, for each cat so owned, kept or harbored, and shall place upon such cat a collar or other device with the license number securely fastened or displayed thereon. Acceptable methods of displaying license numbers shall include but shall not be limited to breakaway or elastic collars. License tags or sleeves are not transferable.
B. 
The owner of any newly acquired cat which has attained the age of seven months or possesses a set of permanent teeth, or of any cat which attains the age of seven months or which obtains a set of permanent teeth, shall make application for a license tag or sleeve for such cat within 10 days after such acquisition or age attainment. This requirement shall not apply to a nonresident keeping a cat within the City of Englewood for 90 days or less.
C. 
Any person who shall bring or cause to be brought into the City of Englewood any cat licensed in another state for the current year, and bearing a registration tag or sleeve, and shall keep the same or permit the same to be kept within the City of Englewood for a period of more than 90 days, shall immediately apply for a license and registration tag or sleeve for each such cat. Any person who shall bring or cause to be brought into the City of Englewood any unlicensed cat which has attained the age of seven months or which possesses a set of permanent teeth and shall keep the same or permit same to be kept within the City of Englewood for a period more than 10 days shall immediately apply for a license and registration tag or sleeve for each such cat.
D. 
The application shall state the breed, sex, age, color and markings of the cat for which the license and registration are sought, and whether it is of a long- or short-haired variety; also the name, street and post office address 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 three years by the Board of Health or its designee.
E. 
License form and official tags and sleeves shall be furnished by the City of Englewood and shall be numbered serially and shall bear the year of issuance and the name of the City of Englewood.
F. 
The Board of Health or its designee shall not grant any such license or any 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 who has been certified exempt as provided in § 106-24 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. 
A license shall be issued after payment of a fee as provided for in Chapter 191, Fee Schedule. Late fees shall be imposed after March 1, April 1 and May 1 as set forth in Chapter 191.
[Amended 2-4-1992 by Ord. No. 92-06[1]]
[1]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).
H. 
Licenses from other municipalities within New Jersey shall be accepted. The person for applying for the license and registration tag and/or sleeve shall pay the fee fixed or authorized. 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 or renewal thereof shall expire on January 30 in the year of expiration. Only one license and registration tag or sleeve shall be required in any licensing year for any cat within the City of Englewood. Any valid New Jersey license tag or sleeve issued by a New Jersey municipality shall be accepted by the City of Englewood as evidence of compliance.[2]
[2]
Editor's Note: Original Subsection I, dealing with the fee for duplicate license or registration sleeve, which immediately followed this section, was repealed at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).
I. 
Proof of licensing shall be produced by any person owning, keeping, maintaining or harboring a cat upon the request of any health officer, police officer, animal control officer, or other authorized person.
No person shall hinder, molest, or interfere with anyone authorized or empowered to perform any duties under this article.
A. 
The Animal Control Officer, members of the Police Department or any other person appointed for such purpose by the City Council or Board of Health of the City of Englewood shall take into custody and impound, or cause to be taken into custody and impounded:
(1) 
Any cat off the premises of the owner of the person keeping or harboring said cat which said official or his agent or agents have reason to believe is a stray cat.
(2) 
Any cat off the premises of the owner or the person keeping or harboring said cat without a current registration tag on his collar.
(3) 
Any cat or other animal which is suspected to be rabid.
(4) 
Any cat or other animal off the premises of the owner reported to, or observed by, a certified Animal Control Officer to be ill, injured or creating a threat to public health, safety or welfare, or otherwise interfering with the enjoyment of property.
(5) 
Any nuisance cat.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Added at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).
B. 
If any animal so seized wears a collar or harness having inscribed thereon or attached thereto the name and address of any person or a registration tag, or the owner or the person keeping or harboring said animal is known, any person authorized by the City Manager shall forthwith serve on the person whose address is given on the collar, or on the owner or the person keeping or harboring said animal, if known, a notice in writing stating that the animal has been seized and will be liable to be offered for adoption or destroyed if not claimed within seven days after the service of the notice.
C. 
A notice under this section may be served either by delivering it to the person on whom it is to be served, or by leaving it to the person's usual or last known place of abode, or at the address given on the collar, or by forwarding it by post in a prepaid letter addressed to that person at his usual or last known place of abode, or to the address given on the collar.
D. 
Any person authorized by the City Council may cause an animal to be destroyed in a manner causing as little pain as possible and consistent with the provisions of N.J.S.A. 4:22-19 or offered for adoption seven days after seizure, provided that:
(1) 
Notice is given as set forth above and the animal remains unclaimed; or
(2) 
The owner or person keeping or harboring the animal has not claimed the animal and paid all expenses incurred by reason of its detention, including maintenance costs not exceeding $4 per day; or
(3) 
The owner or person keeping or harboring a cat which was unlicensed at the time of seizure does not produce a license and registration tag for the cat.
Any person found guilty of violating any provision of this article shall be subject to a fine of up to $1,000, imprisonment for a term not exceeding 90 days, or both.