As used in this article, the following terms shall have the
meanings indicated:
Any member of the domestic feline species, male, female or
altered.
Every person having a right of property or custody in a cat
and every person who has a cat in his/her keeping or who harbors or
maintains a cat or knowingly permits or induces a cat to remain on
or about any premises occupied by that person.
Includes any individual, corporation, partnership, organization
or institution commonly recognized by law as a unit.
No person shall own, keep, harbor, maintain or suffer the keeping,
harboring or maintaining of a cat or cats of more than six months
of age in the Borough of Hawthorne unless a license shall have been
issued by the Board of Health for each of such cats in the manner
herein provided.
A.
Cat licenses shall be issued by the Board of Health upon application therefor and payment of a fee as provided in Chapter 220, Fees, for each cat to be licensed. Each license shall be accompanied by an official registration tag marked with a number corresponding with the number of the license, which shall be securely fastened upon a collar or other device and worn by the cat at all times. Acceptable methods for displaying the registration tag shall include, but not be limited to, breakaway collars, elastic collars or leg sleeves.
B.
All cats more than six months of age shall be vaccinated against
rabies by inoculation by a licensed veterinarian in the same manner
and within the current time interval required as a prerequisite for
the licensing of dogs under N.J.S.A. 4:19-15.1 et seq. No license
shall be issued for any cat unless the owner or person responsible
for such cat provides evidence of such inoculation.
C.
Licenses shall be applied for annually during the month of May and
shall be valid for a period ending on the last day of May of the following
year. Licenses shall not be transferable.
A.
No more than a total of five cats more than six months of age shall
be owned, kept, harbored or maintained by any person or persons residing
in the same household.
B.
No person shall place food intended or suitable for consumption by
a cat in any location out of doors, unless a licensed cat or dog is
regularly kept, harbored or maintained on the premises where such
food is placed, and if the person placing such food is not the owner
or licensee of the cat or dog, then only if the owner or licensee
of the same consents to such feeding. All such food shall be removed
within two hours, and in no event shall such food be allowed to remain
out of doors more than 30 minutes after sunset and before sunrise.
A.
The Animal Control Officer of the Borough of Hawthorne shall take into custody and impound or cause to be taken into custody and impounded any cat off the premises of the owner or the person keeping or harboring said cat which is not wearing or displaying a current registration tag duly issued for that cat as required by § 136-20A above.
B.
If the cat so seized wears a collar or other device having a tag
or means of identification bearing the name and address of the owner
or any person, or if the owner or the person keeping or harboring
said cat is known, the Animal Control Officer shall serve notice upon
the owner of the cat, or the person keeping or harboring said cat,
within three days that the cat has been apprehended and that it may
be claimed at a designated location during the following four days,
but in no event shall the Animal Control Officer be required to keep
a cat in custody longer than seven days. 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 at, or mailing it by first-class mail
to, the person's usual or last known place of abode or at the address
given on the identification tag.
C.
If the cat so seized does not have any identification, then the Animal
Control Officer shall retain the cat in custody for a period of not
less than seven days, during which time any person may reclaim the
cat, if it is owned, or may assume the responsibilities of owner by
applying for a license and registration tag and paying the fees for
the same.
D.
The person claiming a cat in the custody of the Animal Control Officer
shall pay the same fee, plus daily boarding charges, applicable to
impounded dogs.
E.
Any cat which has been seized and which has not been reclaimed during
the custodial period herein set forth, and the required notice has
been give, if applicable, may be disposed of by the Animal Control
Officer or other duly designated official in a manner consistent with
N.J.A.C. 8:23-3.10.
Any person found guilty of violating any of the provisions of
this article shall be liable to a fine of not less than $15 nor more
than $50 for each offense.
