[Ord. No. O-3-2015]
Words and phrases as used in this article shall have the following
meanings:
Rendered permanently incapable of reproduction as certified
by a licensed veterinarian.
A person appointed by the Town who is certified as an Animal
Control Officer by the State of New Jersey. The Animal Control Officer
shall be vested with the powers and authorities set forth in N.J.S.A.
4:19-15.16(c).
Any cat of the domestic feline species whether male, female,
stray, or altered.
Any cat which has attained the age of seven months or which
possesses a set of permanent teeth.
Any room or group of rooms, cage or exhibition pen, not part
of a kennel, wherein cats for sale are kept or displayed.
Any male cat rendered permanently incapable of reproduction
as certified in writing by a licensed veterinarian.
Any person having a right of property (or custody) in any
cat and every person who has a cat in his keeping or who harbors or
maintains a cat or knowingly permits a cat to remain on or about any
premises occupied by that person including provision of food, water,
or shelter. The owner of a cat shall be considered the initial owner
of the cat's offspring.
Any individual, corporation, partnership, organization or
institution commonly recognized by law as a unit.
Any female cat rendered permanently incapable of reproduction
as certified in writing by a licensed veterinarian.
Any cat of licensing age without a current registration tag,
visible tattoo or identification marking approved by the Animal Control
Officer or a collar or harness inscribed thereon or attached thereto
the name and address of the owner.
[Ord. No. O-3-2015]
a.
Any person who shall own, keep or harbor a cat of licensing age shall
annually apply for and procure from the Department of Code Enforcement,
Division of Health a license and official registration tag with license
number, or a registration tag, or a registration sleeve for each cat
so owned, kept and harbored, and shall place upon such cat a collar
or other device with the license number securely fastened or displayed
thereto.
b.
Acceptable methods of displaying the license number shall include,
but are not limited to, breakaway or elastic collars.
c.
License tags or sleeves shall not be transferable between owners
or cats.
[Ord. No. O-3-2015; Ord. No. O-1-2018 § 3]
a.
The owner of any newly acquired cat of licensing age, or of any cat
which attains licensing age, shall make application for a license
tag or sleeve for such cat within 10 days after such acquisition or
within 10 days of the cat reaching the age of seven months or within
10 days of the cat developing a full set of teeth, whichever occurs
sooner.
b.
Any person who shall bring or cause to be brought into the Town of
Morristown any cat licensed in another state for the current year
and bearing a registration tag or sleeve and who shall keep the same
or permit the same to be kept within the Town for a period of more
than 90 days shall apply for a license and registration tag or sleeve
for each cat.
c.
Any person who shall bring or cause to be brought into the Town of
Morristown any unlicensed cat and who shall keep the same or permit
the same to be kept within the Town for a period of more the 10 days
shall apply for a license and registration tag or sleeve for each
cat.
d.
Any person residing in the Town of Morristown who owns and keeps
a cat with a valid license and registration tag from another municipality
in the State of New Jersey shall upon expiration of said license make
an application for a cat license and registration tag with the Department
of Code Enforcement, Division of Health.
e.
Applications for a cat license shall be made on forms promulgated
by the Department of Code Enforcement, Division of Health.
f.
A one year license or registration tag shall be granted if:
1.
The cat owner provides evidence that the cat to be licensed and registered
has been inoculated by a licensed veterinarian with a rabies vaccine
of a type approved by and administered in accordance with the recommendations
of the United States Department of Agriculture; and
2.
The cat owner provides evidence that the cat to be licensed and registered
has been inoculated against rabies with a vaccine having duration
of immunity for at least 10 of the 12 months of the licensing year.
g.
A three-year license or registration tag shall be granted if:
1.
The cat owner provides evidence that the cat to be licensed and registered
has been inoculated by a licensed veterinarian with a rabies vaccine
of a type approved by and administered in accordance with the recommendations
of the United States Department of Agriculture; and
2.
The cat owner provides evidence that the cat to be licensed and registered
has been inoculated against rabies with a vaccine having duration
of immunity for three years, provided that for the third and last
licensing year, duration of immunity shall at minimum be for 10 months
of the 12 months of the licensing year.
h.
An exemption to the rabies inoculation requirement shall be granted
for any cat that a duly licensed veterinarian certifies in writing
to be incapable of being inoculated because of an infirmity, other
physical condition, or regimen of therapy.
i.
The provisions of the Article pertaining to the procurement of a
cat license shall not apply to cats held in a cattery or those held
by a State or Federally licensed research facility or a veterinary
establishment where cats are kept for diagnostic, medical, surgical
or other treatments, or licensed animal shelters, pounds or pet shops.
[Ord. No. O-3-2015; Ord. No. O-1-2018 § 4]
a.
Cat licenses and corresponding registration tags issued under the
provisions of the Article shall be valid for 12 months or three years
commencing on July 1 and ending on June 30 of the following year.
b.
Cat license fees shall be as follows:
|
Type
|
Fee
|
|---|---|
|
1 year license neutered or spayed
|
$10
|
|
1 year license not neutered or spayed
|
$20
|
|
3 year license neutered or spayed
|
$25
|
|
3 year license not neutered or spayed
|
$35
|
c.
For cat licenses requiring renewal, applications shall be submitted
prior to expiration on June 30. A late fee of $5 per month shall be
assessed for each cat license application received after July 1.
[Ord. No. O-3-2015]
License fees and other monies collected or received under the
provisions of this article shall be forwarded to the Town Treasurer
within 30 days after collection or receipt and shall be placed in
a special account separate from any of the other accounts of the Town
and shall be used for the following purposes only: collecting, keeping
and disposing of cats liable to seizure under this article; for prevention
and control of rabies; domestic animal control; providing anti-rabies
treatment under the direction of the Town Health Officer for any indigent
person known or suspected to have been exposed to rabies; and for
administering the provision of this article. Any unexpended balance
remaining in such special account shall be retained until the end
of the third fiscal year following and may be used for any purposes
set forth in this section. At the end of the third fiscal year following
and at the end of each fiscal year thereafter, there shall be transferred
from such special account to the general funds of the Town any amount
then in such account which is in excess of the total amount paid into
the special account during the last two fiscal years next preceding.
[Added 9-26-2023 by Ord. No. O-27-2023]
If a license tag has been lost, the Licensing Bureau may issue
a replacement license tag for that particular cat at the fee of $5
to cover the cost of replacement.
[Ord. No. O-3-2015]
The Animal Control Officer shall take into custody and impound
any of the following cats:
a.
Any cat off the premises of the owner of the person keeping or harboring
said cat which said Animal Control Officer has reason to believe is
a stray cat.
b.
Any cat off the premises of the owner or of the person keeping or
harboring said cat without a current registration tag on its collar.
c.
Any cat or other animal which is suspected to be rabid.
d.
Any cat or other animal off the premises of the owner reported to
or observed by the Animal Control Officer to be ill, injured or creating
a threat to public health, safety or welfare.
[Ord. No. O-3-2015]
a.
If a cat taken into custody and impounded pursuant to Subsection 5-6.1 of this article has a collar or harness with identification of the name and address of any person, or has a registration tag, or has a microchip with an identification number that can be traced to the owner or person charged with the care of the cat, or the owner or the person charged with the care of the cat is otherwise known, the Animal Control Officer shall ascertain the name and address of the owner or the person charged with the care of the cat, and serve to the identified person as soon as practicable, a notice in writing that the cat has been seized and will be liable to be offered for adoption or euthanized if not claimed within seven days after the service of notice.
b.
The notice required pursuant to this section shall be served using
one or more of the following methods:
1.
By delivering it directly to the person on whom it is to be served;
2.
By leaving it at the person's usual or last known place of residence
or the address given on the collar, harness, or microchip identification;
or
3.
By mailing the notice to the person at the person's last known place
of residence or to the address given on the collar, harness, or microchip
identification.
[Ord. No. O-3-2015]
Any Animal Control Officer authorized or empowered to perform
any duty under this article is hereby authorized to go upon any premises
to seize for impounding any cat which may be lawfully seized and impounded
when such Animal Control Officer is in immediate pursuit of such cat,
except upon the premises of the owner of the cat if the owner is present
and forbids same.
[Ord. No. O-3-2015]
When any cat so seized has not been claimed by the person owning, keeping, or harboring such cat within seven days after notice or within seven days of the cat's impoundment when notice has not been or cannot be given as set forth in Subsection 5-6.2, the Animal Control Officer and/or the shelter, pound, or facility which received the cat shall be authorized and empowered to offer the unclaimed cat for adoption, to euthanize the cat, to relocate the cat, or sterilize the cat in accordance with the provisions of N.J.S.A. 4:19-15-16.
[Ord. No. O-3-2015]
a.
If the owner or the person who seeks to claim a cat seized and impounded
pursuant to the provisions of this section, shall provide proof of
ownership, which may include a cat license, registration, rabies inoculation
certificate, or documentation from a veterinarian that the cat has
received regular care from the veterinarian.
b.
The following fees shall be charged to the person reclaiming a cat
impounded pursuant to the provisions of this section:
|
Type
|
Fee
| |
|---|---|---|
|
1.
|
Reclamation Fee
|
$50 per animal reclaimed
|
|
2.
|
Boarding Fee
|
$4 per day animal is impounded
|
[Ord. No. O-3-2015]
No person shall own, keep or harbor a cat in the Town except
in compliance with the provisions of this article.
[Ord. No. O-3-2015]
Proof of licensing shall be produced by any person owning, keeping,
maintaining or harboring a cat upon request of any health official,
Police Officer or Animal Control Officer.
[Ord. No. O-3-2015]
No person shall abandon any cat, no matter what its age or condition,
within the Town of Morristown.
[Ord. No. O-3-2015]
No person owning or having the care, custody or control of any
cat shall suffer or permit such cat to:
a.
Soil or defile or do any injury or damage to any lawn, vegetable
garden, shrubbery, trees, flowers, grounds or any property of any
persons other than that of the owner of the cat or person having the
care, custody or control of such cat.
b.
Cause any injury to any person.
c.
Trespass upon any public property or any private property without
the permission of the owner thereof.
d.
Create unsanitary conditions or nuisances.
[Ord. No. O-3-2015]
Every person owning, keeping or harboring or in control of a
cat shall be responsible to immediately pick up, remove, and dispose
of in a sanitary manner approved by the Department of Code Enforcement,
Division of Health all feces deposited by said cat on any sidewalk,
passageway, bypath, play area, park or upon any public property whatsoever
or upon any private property.
