Township of Berlin, NJ Dog Licensing

In accordance with N.J.S.A. 4:19-15.2a, no license and official metal registration tag for any dog shall be issued unless the owner thereof provides evidence that the dog 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 Health, Education, and Welfare or has been certified exempt as provided by regulations of the State Department of Health. Such vaccination shall be repeated at intervals as provided by regulations of the State Department of Health and shall be administered by a duly licensed veterinarian or by such other veterinarian permitted by law to do the same.

§ 87-20 Time for application.

[Added 6-13-2011 by Ord. No. 2011-14]

The owner of any newly acquired dog of licensing age or of any dog which attains licensing age shall make application for license and registration tag for such dog within 10 days after such acquisition or age attainment.

§ 87-21 Application contents; preservation of information.

[Added 6-13-2011 by Ord. No. 2011-14]

An application for a dog license as required under this Article II shall state the breed, sex, age, color and markings of the dog for which license and registration are sought, whether it is of a longhaired or shorthaired variety, whether it has been surgically debarked or silenced, and the name, street and post office address of the owner and the person who shall keep or harbor such dog.

The information on the application and the registration number issued for the dog shall be preserved for a period of three years by the Township Clerk or other local official designated to license dogs in the Township.

The Township Clerk or other local official shall forward to the State Department of Health each month, on forms furnished by the Department, an accurate account of registration numbers issued or otherwise disposed of. Registration numbers shall be issued in the order of the applications.

§ 87-22 Dogs brought into Township.

[Added 6-13-2011 by Ord. No. 2011-14]

Any person who shall bring or cause to be brought into the Township of Berlin any dog licensed in another state for the current year, and bearing a registration tag, and shall keep the same or permit the same to be kept within the Township of Berlin for a period of more than 90 days shall immediately apply for a license and registration tag for each such dog, unless such dog is licensed under § 87-25.

Any person who shall bring or cause to be brought into the Township of Berlin any unlicensed dog and shall keep the same or permit the same to be kept within the Township of Berlin for a period of more than 10 days shall immediately apply for a license and registration tag for each such dog, unless such dog is licensed under § 87-25.

§ 87-23 License fees.

The fee to be paid for a dog license issued by the Township Clerk of the Township of Berlin shall be fixed in the following manner:

The registration fee for neutered dogs paid prior to January 31 shall be $17.80, which amount shall include the registration tag fee of $1 to be paid to the State of New Jersey.

[Amended 10-22-2007 by Ord. No. 2007-22]

A late charge of $14 shall be imposed for all registrations after January 31.

The fee(s) payable hereunder shall be as set forth in Chapter 156, Fees.

[Amended 4-29-2019 by Ord. No. 2019-3]

Pursuant to state statute, an additional three-dollar fee shall be imposed on any dog of reproductive age which has not had its reproduction capacity permanently altered through sterilization.

The owner of any newly acquired dog of licensing age or of any dog which attains licensing age shall make application for and procure a license and registration tag for such dog within 10 days after the acquisition or age attainment. There shall be no adjustment of the license or registration fee for licenses or registration tags issued and valid for a fractional portion of the license year.

[Added 6-13-2011 by Ord. No. 2011-14]

Dogs used as guides for blind persons and dogs specifically trained to assist the handicapped, commonly known as "Seeing Eye" dogs, shall be licensed and registered as other dogs hereinbefore provided for, except that the owner or keeper thereof shall not be required to pay any fee therefor.

[Added 6-13-2011 by Ord. No. 2011-14]

§ 87-24 Restrictions on removal and use of tags.

[Added 6-13-2011 by Ord. No. 2011-14]

No person, except an officer in the performance of his duties, shall remove a registration tag from the collar of any dog without the consent of the owner, nor shall any person attach a registration tag to a dog for which it was not issued.

§ 87-25 Dog canvass; report.

[Added 6-13-2011 by Ord. No. 2011-14]

The Property Maintenance Officer, when no other person has been appointed by the governing body, shall annually cause a canvass to be made of all dogs owned, kept or harbored within the limits of the Township of Berlin and shall report, on or before September 1 of each year, to the Township Clerk, to the local Board of Health and to the State Department of Health the results thereof, setting forth in separate columns the names and addresses of persons owning, keeping or harboring unlicensed dogs, the number of unlicensed dogs owned, kept or harbored by each of said persons, together with a complete description of each of said unlicensed dogs.