[Ord. #4-90, S 1; Ord. #BOH 2015-02]
The purpose of this chapter is to protect the public health, safety and welfare by providing for the licensing of cats and the mandatory vaccination of cats against the rabies virus.
[Ord. #4-90, S 1; Ord. BOH 2015-02]
As used in this chapter, the following words shall have the meanings listed in this section:
ANIMAL
For the purpose of this chapter, shall mean a cat.
BOARD OF HEALTH
Shall mean the duly constituted Board of Health of the Township of Montgomery, or any person or agency designated or certified by it or by the State of New Jersey to enforce the provisions of this chapter.
CAT
Shall mean any member of the domestic feline species, male, female or altered.
CAT OF VACCINATION AGE OR CAT OF LICENSING AGE
Shall mean any cat which has attained the age of seven months, or which possesses a set of permanent teeth.
CATTERY
Shall mean any room or group of rooms, cage or exhibit pen, not part of a kennel, wherein cats for sale are kept or displayed.
OWNER
When applied to the proprietorship of a cat, owner shall include every person having a right of property or custody in such cat and every person who has such cat in his/her keeping or who harbors or maintains a cat or knowingly permits a cat to remain on or about any premises occupied by, owned by, maintained by, or under the control of that person.
PERSON
Any individual, corporation, partnership organization, or institution commonly recognized by law as a unit.
[Ord. #4-90, S 1; Ord. #BOH 2015-02]
a. 
Vaccination Requirement. No person shall own, keep, harbor or maintain any cat of vaccination age within the Township of Montgomery unless such cat is vaccinated and licensed as required herein. The provisions of this section do 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 received or kept for diagnostic, medical, surgical, or other treatments, or licensed animals shelters, pounds, kennels or pet shops.
b. 
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 for in paragraph d of this section.
c. 
Vaccination Certificate. A certificate of vaccination shall be issued by the licensed veterinarian to the owner of each cat vaccinated, on a form recommended by the State of New Jersey.
d. 
Exemptions. Any cat may be exempted from the requirements of such vaccination for a specified period of time by the Board of Health, 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.
e. 
Newly Acquired Cats. The owner of any newly acquired cat of vaccination age, or of any cat which attains vaccination age, shall have such cat vaccinated and licensed within 10 days after such acquisition or age attainment.
f. 
Cats Brought Into the Township. Any person who shall bring or cause to be brought into the Township of Montgomery, any cat shall apply for a license within 10 days and provide proof of current vaccination status to the Board of Health. If the cat is currently licensed in another New Jersey Municipality, this license shall be accepted for the remainder of the licensing year.
[Ord. #4-90 S 1; Ord. #BOH 2015-02]
a. 
Cats Must Have License Number Displayed. Any person who shall own, keep or harbor a cat of licensing age shall annually procure a license and official registration tag with license number. Licenses shall be obtained from the Township Health Department or other official designated by the Governing Body. The owner shall place upon such cat a collar or other device with the tag securely fastened or displayed thereon. Acceptable methods of displaying tags shall include, but are not limited to, break-away or elastic collars. Microchips, tattoos, and other prevalent identification technologies may be substituted for collar requirements. License tags are not transferable.
b. 
Information To Be Provided. The license application shall include the breed, sex, age, color, and markings, of the cat for which the license is sought, and whether it is of a long, or shorthaired variety; also, the name, street and post office address of the owner and the person who shall keep or harbor such cat. Said information shall be preserved by the Board of Health for a period of three years.
c. 
Loss of Tag. If a tag has been misplaced or lost, the Board of Health may issue a duplicate tag for that particular cat at a charge of $0.50.
d. 
Evidence of Inoculation with Rabies Vaccine or Certificate of Exemption. No municipal official shall grant any cat license unless the owner provides evidence that the cat to be licensed has been vaccinated (or exempted) as required by BH11A-3. The vaccination certificate shall be valid through October 31 of the licensing year.
e. 
License Fee Schedule. A license shall be issued after payment of a fee of:
1. 
$15 for each unneutered cat;
2. 
$10 for each neutered cat;
3. 
$25 for three or more neutered cats in one household.
Licenses not renewed by January 31 of the licensing year are subject to late fees of $1 per month.
[Ord. #4-90, S 1; Ord. #BOH 2015-02]
a. 
Proof of Licensing. Proof of licensing shall be produced by any person owning, keeping, maintaining, or harboring a cat, upon the request of any Board of Health Official, Police Officer, Animal Control Officer, or other person authorized by the Board of Health or the Township of Montgomery.
b. 
Interfering With Persons Performing Duties Under This Chapter. No person shall hinder, molest or interfere, with anyone authorized or empowered to perform any duty under this chapter.
c. 
Annual Canvass. The Health Officer, may annually cause a canvass to be made of all cats owned, kept and harbored within the limits of the Township, setting forth the names and addresses of persons owning, keeping or harboring unlicensed cats and the number of such cats, together with a complete description of each unlicensed cat.
[Ord. #4-90, S 1; Ord. #98-01, S 5; Ord. #2002-03, S 5; Ord. #BOH 2015-02]
a. 
Any cat that is believed, in the opinion of the Health Officer or the Animal Control Officer, to have rabies or been exposed to rabies, shall be confined, impounded, or destroyed according to the most recent standards developed by the New Jersey Department of Health Infectious and Zoonotic Disease Program. The owner and/or attending veterinarian shall notify the Board of Health or its designee of any cat that has been exposed to rabies.
b. 
The Health Officer or the Chief of Police or any person authorized by either of them is empowered and authorized to take into custody any cat which is creating a nuisance and is:
1. 
Without a current tag or other identifying device/markings, or
2. 
In such circumstances as would constitute a violation of any other provision of this chapter.
c. 
If any cat taken into custody wears a collar, is ear marked, or has other identifiers, the Health Department shall notify the owner or person keeping or harboring such cat. Notice will include that the cat has been taken into custody and may be disposed of or destroyed if not claimed within one week. Notice may be served either in person, by posting at the address given on the tag or collar, or by mail to the address given on the collar or tag.
d. 
When any cat has been detained for seven days after notice, or has been detained for seven days after being taken into custody, when no notice can be given, and if the cat has not been claimed, the Health Officer, or authorized agent may cause the cat to be vaccinated against rabies and adopted, or to be destroyed in a humane manner. No cat so impounded shall be sold, given, released or turned over to any agency, organization or corporation whether governmental or private for experimental or other like purposes.
e. 
The following charges shall be paid to the Board of Health as expenses incurred by reason of detention in accordance with the provisions of this section:
1. 
For impounding any cat, $45.
2. 
Maintenance per day, $4.
3. 
Giving notice, No fee.
4. 
To surrender a cat for adoption or euthanasia $45.
f. 
Any officer or agent authorized or empowered to seize a cat may go upon any premises to take into custody any cat which he may lawfully seize when he is in immediate pursuit of such cat, except upon the premises of the owner of the cat if the owner is present and forbids the same.
[Ord. #BOH 2015-02]
Any cat which is causing a nuisance may be captured and impounded by the Animal Control Officer or other police official. A nuisance is defined as (a) disturbing the peace by habitually or continually howling, crying, or screaming; or (b) the habitual and significant destruction, desecration, or soiling of property against the wishes of the owner of the property.
[Ord. #4-90, S 1; Ord. #98-01, S 5; Ord. #2002-03, S 5; Ord. #BOH 2015-02]
Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, any person who violates or fails or refuses to comply with this chapter shall be liable for a penalty of not less than $5 and not more than $500 for each offense in the manner set forth in Chapter BH1.