[Adopted 8-20-1963 (Ch. 68 of the 1981 Code)]
For the purposes of this article, the following words and phrases shall have the meanings respectively ascribed to them by this section:
CERTIFIED ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICER
As defined in N.J.S.A. 4:19-15.1.
[Added at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I)]
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.
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.
OWNER
When applied to the proprietorship of a dog, shall include every person having a right to property in such dog and every person who has such dog in his keeping.
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.[1]
POUND
An establishment for the confinement of dogs seized either under the provisions of this chapter or otherwise.
SHELTER
Any establishment where dogs are received, housed and distributed.[2]
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I)]
[1]
Editor's Note: The former definition of "pound," which immediately followed this definition, was repealed at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).
[2]
Editor's Note: Original § 68-2, Annual canvass by Chief of Police, which immediately followed this section, was repealed at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).
[Amended 8-17-1981 by Ord. No. 6-81]
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 Clerk of the Township or other official designated by the Township Council thereof to license dogs a license and official metal registration tag for each such dog so owned, kept or harbored and shall place upon each such dog a collar or harness with the registration tag securely fastened thereto. The fees for the annual registration tag and the license shall be as provided in Chapter A565, Fees.
A. 
The application for licenses and registration under this article shall state the breed, sex, age, color and markings of the dog for which 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 dog.
B. 
The information on such application and the registration number issued for the dog shall be preserved for a period of three years by the Township Clerk or other person designated to issue such licenses and, in addition, such Clerk or other person shall forward to the State Department of Health each month, on forms furnished by such Department, an accurate account of registration numbers issued or otherwise disposed of. Registration numbers shall be issued in the order of the applications.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I)]
Dogs used as guides dogs or service dogs (as defined in N.J.S.A. 10:5-5) shall be licensed and registered as other dogs as hereinabove provided for, except that the owner or keeper of such dog shall not be required to pay any fee therefor. A dog temporarily placed in a foster home as part of a formalized training to be a guide dog or service dog shall not be required to be licensed and registered while the dog remains in the foster home for such training.
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.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Former Sec. 6.7 of the 1963 Revised Ordinances, amended 3-3-1964 and 9-19-1972 by Ord. No. 10-72, which immediately followed this section and which provided for license fees, was deleted 8-17-1981 by Ord. No. 4-81. See now Ch. A565, Fees.
A. 
Any person who shall bring or cause to be brought into the Township 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 for a period of more than 90 days shall immediately apply for a license, as herein provided, unless such dog is licensed under § 145-7.
B. 
Any person who shall bring or cause to be brought into the Township any unlicensed dog and shall keep the same or permit the same to be kept within the Township 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 § 145-7.
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.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I)]
The application for a license required by the preceding section 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 Township showing compliance with the local and state rules and regulations governing location of and sanitation at such establishments.
A. 
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 the last day of January of each year and be subject to revocation by the Township on recommendations of the State Department of Health or the Township for failure to comply with the rules and regulations of the State Department or Township governing the same after the owner has been afforded a hearing by either the State Department of Health or the Township.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I)]
B. 
In addition to the foregoing, the person who proposes to operate or establish a kennel shall comply with the rules and regulations of the State Department of Health as established by it.
[Amended 8-17-1981 by Ord. No. 6-81]
The annual license fee for a kennel providing accommodations for 10 or fewer dogs and for more than 10 dogs shall be as provided for in Chapter A565, Fees. The annual license fee for a pet shop shall be as provided for in Chapter A565, Fees.
The Chief of Police or Animal Control Officer shall take into custody and impound or cause to be taken into custody and impounded and thereafter destroyed or disposed of as provided in § 145-19:
A. 
Any dog off the premises of the owner or of the person keeping or harboring the dog which such official or his agent or agents have reason to believe is a stray dog.
B. 
Any dog off the premises of the owner or of the person keeping or harboring said dog without a current registration tag on his collar.
C. 
Any female dog in season off the premises of the owner or of the person keeping or harboring such dog.
A. 
If any dog seized as provided in the preceding section 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 such dog is known, the Chief of Police or Animal Control Officer shall forthwith serve on the person whose address is given on the collar, or on the owner or the person keeping or harboring such dog, if known, a notice, in writing, stating that the dog has been seized and will be liable to be disposed of or destroyed if not claimed within seven days after the service of the notice.
B. 
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 at 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.
[Amended 8-17-1981 by Ord. No. 6-81]
When any dog seized as provided in § 145-17 has been detained for seven days after notice, when notice can be given as set forth in the preceding section, or has been detained for seven days after seizure, when no notice has been given as set forth in the preceding section and if the owner or person keeping or harboring such dog has not claimed such dog and paid all expenses incurred by reason of its detention, including maintenance not exceeding the fee provided for in Chapter A565, Fees, and if the dog be unlicensed at the time of the seizure and the owner or person keeping or harboring the dog has not produced a license and registration tag for the dog, the Chief of Police or Animal Control Officer may cause the dog to be destroyed in a manner causing as little pain as possible.
[Added 11-1-1976 by Ord. No. 18-76; amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I)]
No person owning, harboring, keeping or in charge of any animal shall cause, suffer or allow such animal to soil, defile, defecate on or commit any nuisance on any common thoroughfare, sidewalk, passageway, bypath, play area, park or any place where people congregate or walk, or upon any public property whatsoever, or upon any private property without the permission of the owner of said property. The restriction in this section shall not apply to that portion of the street lying between the curblines, which shall be used to curb such animal under the following conditions:
A. 
The person who so curbs such animal shall immediately remove all feces deposited by such animal by any sanitary method approved by the local health authority.
B. 
The feces removed from the aforementioned designated area shall be disposed of by the person owning, harboring, keeping or in charge of any animal curbed in accordance with the provisions of this chapter, in a sanitary manner approved by the local health authority.
[Amended 6-17-1985 by Ord. No. 11-85]
No person owning, keeping or harboring any dog shall suffer or permit it to run at large upon the public streets or in any public park or in any public building or at any other public place within the Township. No person shall permit any dog in his care or under his control to go upon the lawn, yard or entrance walk or driveway of any private residence without the permission of the owner thereof. Except when confined to the property of the owner, dogs will be on a leash at all times.
A. 
It shall be the duty of every police officer or Animal Control Officer of the Township to apprehend any dog found running at large contrary to the provisions of § 145-21, and to impound such dog in the Township Shelter or other suitable place.
B. 
After the impoundment of any dog, the Animal Control Officer or police officer shall proceed in accordance with the terms of §§ 145-17, 145-18 and 145-19. Any redemption under the provisions of § 145-19 shall not release or discharge the owner from any other penalty provided for in this chapter.
No person shall keep, harbor or maintain any dog which habitually barks, howls or whines.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Original § 68-22, Destruction of vicious and rabid dogs; keeping of records, which immediately followed this section, was repealed at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).
No owner or keeper shall allow any dog to injure or damage any vegetable garden, flower garden, lawn, plant, tree, shrubbery, grounds or other property of any other person other than the person owning, harboring or keeping or having charge of such dog.
Any officer or agent authorized or empowered to perform any duty under this chapter is hereby authorized to go upon any premises to seize for impounding any dog which he may lawfully seize and impound when such officer is in immediate pursuit of such dog except upon the premises of the owner of the dog if the owner is present and forbids the same.
No person shall hinder, molest or interfere with anyone authorized or empowered to perform any duty under this chapter.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Former Sec. 6.26 of the 1963 Revised Ordinances, which immediately followed this section, and which provided for nuisances on public property, was deleted 8-17-1981 by Ord. No. 6-81.
[Amended 8-17-1981 by Ord. No. 6-81; at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I)]
Any person who violates any of the provisions of this article shall, upon conviction thereof, be subject to the penalties set forth in Chapter 1, Article II, General Penalty, of the Township Code.