[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Committee of the Township of Knowlton 5-13-1996 by Ord. No. 96-03. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Regulation of dogs in mobile home parks — See Ch. 122, § 122-4.
Protection of wild animals, birds and fish — See Ch. 134, § 134-26.
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
ANIMAL
Any domesticated dog or cat or house pet, four-legged and nonswimming or nonflying, which is oriented to an outside environment, but not including livestock or other farm animals or game animals subject to control by the State Game Commission.
CAT
Any member of the domestic feline species; male, female or altered.
CAT VACCINATION AGE
Any cat which has attained the age of seven months or which possesses a set of permanent teeth.
CERTIFIED ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICER
A person 18 years of age or older who has satisfactorily completed a course of study approved by the Commissioner of Health on the control of animals and is a Township employee appointed by the Mayor and Township Committee to implement animal control regulations and issue licenses as required within this chapter; or, in the absence of such officer, his designee.
CONTRACT
A legal document, authorized by the Township, with an animal hospital, shelter or pound for the confinement of dogs seized under the provisions of this chapter or otherwise.
DOG
Any dog, bitch or spayed bitch.
DOG OF LICENSING AGE
Any dog which has attained the age of seven months or which possesses a set of permanent teeth.
IMPOUND FACILITY
An establishment for the confinement of dogs seized under the provisions of this chapter or otherwise.
[Added 8-12-1996 by Ord. No. 96-10]
KENNEL
Any establishment wherein or whereon the business of boarding or selling dogs or breeding dogs for sale is carried on, except a pet shop.
[Added 8-12-1996 by Ord. No. 96-10]
OWNER
When applied to the proprietorship of a dog, includes every person having a right of property in such dog and every person who has such dog in his keeping.
PERSON
Any individual, corporation, partnership, organization or institution commonly recognized by law as a unit.
PET SHOP
Any room or group of rooms, cage or exhibition pen, not part of a kennel, wherein dogs for sale are kept or displayed.
[Added 8-12-1996 by Ord. No. 96-10]
POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS DOG
Any dog declared potentially dangerous pursuant to the provisions of N.J.S.A. 4:19-17 et seq., as amended.
REDEMPTION
The reclaiming of an animal confined in an animal hospital, pound or shelter by its owner upon presentation of proof of possession by license or other documentation.
REDEMPTION FEE
A minimum fee established by ordinance to defray boarding and processing expenses incurred, including the time of the Animal Control Officer in the pickup and delivery of the animal.
VICIOUS DOG
Any dog declared vicious pursuant to the provisions of N.J.S.A. 4:19-17 et seq., as amended.
Any person who shall own, keep or harbor a dog of licensing age shall annually, in the month of January, apply for and procure from the Animal Control Warden a license and official metal registration tag for each dog owned, kept or harbored and shall place upon each dog a collar or harness with the registration tag securely fastened thereto.
A. 
Pursuant to N.J.S.A. 4:19-15.3, the owners of any dog of licensing age harbored and kept in the Township of Knowlton shall apply for and obtain a license in the Township and pay an annual license fee as follows:
[Amended 3-22-2001 by Ord. No. 01-01; by Ord. No. 12-11[1]]
Type
Fee
Spayed/neutered
$10
Nonspayed/neutered
$13
Late fees
$5 per month
[1]
Editor's Note: This fees in this ordinance became effective 1-1-2013d.
B. 
Registration and all licenses shall expire on January 31 of each year at midnight. All registration and license fees shall be payable in full for the entire amount regardless of when applied for or issued. All fees shall be due and payable for dogs owned on or before January 31 of each and every year. For dogs acquired after January 31 each year, the fee shall be paid from the date the dog was acquired.
Metal registration tags, designed by the State Department of Health, bearing the name of the Township of Knowlton and consecutively numbered, shall be acquired with proof of spaying and/or neutering, if applicable, and an unexpired rabies vaccination certificate with the required fees. No license to own, keep or harbor a dog in the Township of Knowlton shall be issued to or in the name of a minor. Registration numbers shall be issued in the order of the application.
A. 
Any person who shall own, keep or harbor a dog shall procure and possess a licensed veterinarian's certificate indicating inoculation against rabies of said dog, with a vaccine approved by the State Department of Health and setting forth the date of such inoculation and the duration of immunity. The certificate of inoculation shall be exhibited to the dog licensing official of the municipality when application for a dog license is made. No dog licensing official shall grant a dog license until said veterinarian's certificate is shown in evidence as proof of rabies inoculation. Said certification shall also be produced by any person owning, keeping or harboring a dog upon the request of any dog licensing enforcement official.
B. 
The dog licensing official may grant exemption to the rabies inoculation requirement if any dog which the Board of Health, for a specified reason or time, declares exempt upon presentation of a veterinarian's certificate stating that, because of an infirmity, other physical condition or regimen of therapy, the inoculation of such dog shall be deemed inadvisable.
A. 
Any dog owner or person found to be harboring an unlicensed dog after January 31, by the Animal Control Officer, dog canvasser or other municipal official, shall be required to pay an additional delinquent fee of $5 and, in addition, $2 for each succeeding month thereafter, beginning February 1, plus the required license fee as required in this chapter.
[Amended 8-12-1996 by Ord. No. 96-10]
B. 
Dogs used as guides for blind persons and commonly known as "Seeing Eye" dogs or dogs used to assist deaf persons and commonly known as "hearing ear" dogs, shall be licensed and registered as other dogs hereinabove provided for, except that the owner or keeper of such dog shall not be required to pay any fee therefor.
The owner of any newly acquired dog of licensing age shall make application for such license and registration tag for such dog within 10 days after such acquisition or age attainment.
A. 
License required. Any person who keeps or operates or proposes to establish a kennel, pet shop, shelter or a pound shall apply to the Animal Control Official for a license entitling him to keep or operate such an establishment. Such application shall describe the premises where the establishment is located or is proposed to be located, the purpose for which it is to be maintained and shall be accompanied by the written approval of the Health Officer of the Township showing compliance with the local and state rules and regulations governing the location of and sanitation at such establishment.
B. 
Purpose; term of license; license revoked; hearing. All licenses issued for a kennel, pet shop or shelter shall state the purpose for which the establishment is maintained, and all such licenses shall expire on January 31 each year and be subject to revocation by the Township on recommendation of the State Department of Health or Health Officer of the Township for failure to comply with the rules and regulations of the State Department or the Health Department of the Township after the owner has been afforded a hearing by either the State Department or local government.
C. 
License fees. The annual license fee for a kennel providing accommodations for 10 or less dogs shall be $10, and for more than 10 dogs, $25. The annual license fee for a pet shop shall be $10. No fee shall be charged for a shelter.
D. 
Disposition of fees. License fees collected or received under the provisions of this chapter, except registration fees, shall be received and disposed of in the manner provided in this chapter.
E. 
Number of kennels, pet shops, shelters and pounds. There shall not be more than a total of three licenses issued in the Township for a kennel, pet shop, shelter or pound, all combined.
The Animal Control Officer of the Township of Knowlton shall, promptly after February 1, annually, cause a canvass to be made of all dogs owned, kept or harbored within the limits of the Township and shall cause a report of the result thereof to be filed with the Township Clerk in the manner and form required by this chapter.
The Animal Control Officer of the Township of Knowlton shall cause the enforcement of the provisions of this chapter, pursuant to all selected state laws and regulations of the New Jersey Department of Health.
A. 
Number of dogs limited.
(1) 
The following shall be the limitation on keeping, harboring and maintaining dogs at any one time within the limits of the Township of Knowlton:
(a) 
Apartment with five or less rooms: one dog.
(b) 
Residential dwelling with less than five acres: three dogs.
(c) 
Residential dwelling on five acres or more: five dogs.
(2) 
There shall be an exception of the limitation of the number of dogs for kennels, pet shops and dogs held and confined in a shelter or pound under the provisions of this chapter.
B. 
Noise disturbances. No person shall own, possess or harbor any pet animal or pet bird that frequently or for continued duration makes sounds that create a noise disturbance across a residential real property line. For the purpose of this section, a noise disturbance from a barking dog shall be defined as that created by a dog barking continually for 10 minutes or intermittently for 30 minutes, unless the dog is provoked.
C. 
Running at large prohibited. No person owning, keeping or harboring any dog shall suffer or permit it to be upon any of the public streets or upon any private property in the Township (except the private property of the person owning, keeping or harboring any such dog, or except on premises where permission has been given by the owner thereof to persons owning, keeping or harboring any such dog, to keep it on the private property of the person so giving permission) unless such dog is accompanied by a person capable of controlling it and/or such dog is securely tied or otherwise confined within the limits of his own property.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: See also Ch. 122, Mobile Homes and Mobile Home Parks, § 122-4, Regulation of dogs.
D. 
Seizure of dogs at large. It shall be the duty of the Animal Control Officer to apprehend and take into custody and impound or cause to be taken into custody and impound any vicious dog or any dog found running at large contrary to the provisions of Subsection C and to impound such dog in the municipal pound or other suitable place. A complete registry of all such dogs so seized shall be made, which shall include the breed, color and sex of such dogs and whether licensed. If licensed, the name and address of the owner and the number of the license tag shall be recorded.
E. 
Notice of seizure. If any dog seized or impounded in accordance with the provisions of this chapter shall wear 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 person keeping or harboring said dog is known, the Animal Control Officer shall forthwith serve upon the person whose address is given on the collar or upon the owner or person keeping or harboring said dog, if known, notice in writing, stating that the dog has been seized and will be liable for disposal, to be offered for adoption or destroyed if not claimed within seven days after the service of the notice.
F. 
Disposal of unclaimed dogs. When any dog so seized has been detained for seven days after notice when notice can be given, or has been detained for seven days after seizure when notice cannot be given, in accordance with the laws of the State of New Jersey, and if the owner or person keeping or harboring the dog has not claimed such dog and paid all expenses incurred by reason of its seizure and the owner or person keeping or harboring the dog has not produced a current license and registration tag for the dog, the contractor or poundmaster or other designated authority may cause the dog to be destroyed in a manner causing as little pain as possible, or offer the same for adoption in accordance with N.J.S.A. 4:19-15.16. Failure of the owner of such dog to claim the animal within such seven days shall constitute a violation of this chapter.
G. 
Fees. A redemption fee is hereby established, which is payable to the Township of Knowlton to defray the cost of the animal control operations and shall be deposited in the Township Trust Fund. The redemption fee is $25.
H. 
Release of seized animal. No animal shall be released by the pound without the approval of the Animal Control Officer until all appropriate fees to the municipality and impound facility are paid, including license costs, if applicable, and any other additional expenses incurred in the seizure or boarding of such animal.
I. 
Payment of fees. A written contract shall be made between the Township of Knowlton and the boarding facility, which shall establish uniform service fees and procedures. The Township shall be responsible for payment of the daily boarding fee, any disposal fee and/or any euthanasia fee only in the event that the owner, when known, fails to reclaim the animal or when the owner is not known and the animal is not sold or disposed of by other humane means. Whenever the owner is known or the owner reclaims the animal, all fees incurred shall be the responsibility of the owner.
A. 
In the event that the provisions of this chapter are violated, the offended party shall file a complaint, in writing, to the Animal Control Officer of the Township.
B. 
Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, any person violating the provisions of this chapter shall be punished by a fine of $15 to $200 for the first offense and $25 to $200 for subsequent offenses or by imprisonment for the term not exceeding 10 days, or both.
[Amended 8-11-1997 by Ord. No. 97-07]
A. 
Definitions. As used in this section, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS DOG
Any dog declared potentially dangerous pursuant to the provisions of N.J.S.A. 4:19-17 et seq., as amended.
VICIOUS DOG
Any dog declared vicious pursuant to the provisions of N.J.S.A. 4:19-17 et seq., as amended.
B. 
Registration required; conditions; fees.
(1) 
It is unlawful for an owner to have a potentially dangerous dog in the Township without an annual license issued under this section. An annual license shall be issued by the Animal Control Officer to the owner of a potentially dangerous dog if the owner presents to the Animal Control Officer sufficient evidence of compliance with any and all conditions imposed under N.J.S.A. 4:19-24, as amended.
(2) 
The annual cost of such license shall be $700, payable at the time of issuance of the license.
C. 
Violations and penalties; enforcement. The owner of a potentially dangerous dog who is found by clear and convincing evidence to have violated this section, or any rule or regulation adopted pursuant thereto, or to have failed to comply with a court's order shall be subject to a fine of not more than $1,000 per day of the violation, and each day's continuance of the violation shall constitute a separate and distinct violation. The Municipal Court shall have jurisdiction to enforce this section. An Animal Control Officer is authorized to seize and impound any potentially dangerous dog.
A. 
Purpose. The purpose of this section is to respond to the rabies epizootic within the State of New Jersey and protect the health, safety and welfare of the citizens of the Township of Knowlton by mandating the vaccination of cats against rabies within our municipality.
B. 
Vaccination requirements. No person shall own or keep any cat over six months of age within the Township of Knowlton unless such cat is vaccinated against rabies. The provisions of this section do not apply to cats 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 shows.
C. 
Vaccination. 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 section (d).
D. 
Vaccination certificate. A certificate of vaccination shall be issued to the owner of each animal vaccinated on a form recommended by the state.
E. 
Exemptions. Any cat may be exempted from the requirements of such vaccination 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.
The commercial raising of hogs in the Township is prohibited over the number of 50 hogs and pigs. The hauling of garbage into the Township for feeding the hogs is prohibited.
[1]
Editor's Note: This section was formerly Sec. 3-3 of the Revised General Ordinances.
The provisions of this chapter shall be enforced by the Animal Control Officer, or designee, for the Township of Knowlton.