[Ord. No. BOH 2-2005 § III; Ord. No. BOH 02-2009 § III]
No person shall own, harbor or keep any dog or cat within the municipal limits of the Township of Springfield which is not inoculated against rabies; provided, however, that dogs or cats which have not attained the age of six months shall not be required to be inoculated, and further provided that any dog or cat may be exempt from the requirements of such inoculation for a specified period of time by the Board of Health upon the presentation of a certificate from a veterinarian stating that, because of infirmity or other physical condition, the inoculation of such dog or cat for said specified period of time shall be deemed inadvisable by said veterinarian.
[Ord. No. BOH 2-2005 § III; Ord. No. BOH 02-2009 § III]
The inoculation against rabies shall be performed each year and shall be performed prior to the procurement of the dog or cat license required by ordinance of the Township of Springfield, or evidence shall be presented at the time of procurement of the dog or cat license by the dog or cat owner that a three-year inoculation has been performed and that the inoculation has not expired.
[Ord. No. BOH 2-2005 § III; Ord. No. BOH 02-2009 § III]
a. 
It is imperative that the public is protected from the effects of rabies epizootic to the greatest extent technically and economically possible. Wildlife rabies cannot be controlled, but spill over into our domestic animal population is preventable. This Article is intended to serve as a means of developing a long-term solution to the rabies problem, as well as implementation of appropriate measures to reduce the problem before demands for solutions and protection overwhelm available resources and capabilities to effectively respond to those demands.
b. 
An effective barrier can only be established if both dogs and cats are required to have rabies vaccination. By instituting and maintaining mandatory dog and cat licensing and vaccination, the Board of Health will be able to assess the level of immunity in these species within the Township and provide needed resources to meet the rabies challenge.
[Ord. No. BOH 2-2005 § III; Ord. No. BOH 02-2009 § III]
As used in this Article, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
BOARD OF HEALTH
Shall mean the agency of the Township of Springfield ("Township") charged with enforcing the requirements of Title 26 of the New Jersey Statutes and created pursuant to Chapter 2 of the Township Code.
CAT
Shall mean any member of the domestic feline species: male, female or neutered.
CAT OR DOG OF LICENSING AGE
Shall mean any cat or dog 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 exhibition pen, not part of a kennel, where cats for sale are kept or displayed.
CONTROL AUTHORITY
Shall mean any person or agency designated or certified by the State of New Jersey to enforce provisions relating to licensing and vaccination of dogs and cats.
LICENSING AUTHORITY
Shall mean the licensing authority is hereby designated as the Township Clerk.
LICENSING YEAR
Shall mean the period from January 1 to December 31 of the following year during which time the license required by this Article shall be in effect.
NEUTERED
Shall mean rendered permanently incapable of reproduction as certified by a licensed veterinarian.
OWNER
Shall mean every person having custody of a dog or cat and every person who has such dog or cat in his or her keeping or who harbors or maintains a dog or cat or knowingly permits a dog or cat to remain on or about any premises occupied by that person. The owner of a dog or cat shall be considered the initial owner of its puppies or kittens. A person who continually feeds a stray dog or cat shall also be considered its owner.
PERSON
Shall mean any individual, corporation, partnership, organization or institution.
[Ord. No. BOH 2-2005 § III; Ord. No. BOH 02-2009 § III]
a. 
Vaccination and License Requirements. No person shall own, keep, harbor or maintain any dog or cat over seven months old unless it is vaccinated and licensed and except in compliance with the provisions of this Article. This section shall not apply to cats held in a cattery, a State or Federal research facility, a veterinary establishment where dogs or cats are kept for diagnostic, medical, surgical or other treatments or licensed animal shelters, pounds, kennels or pet shops.
b. 
Vaccination. Except as provided in paragraph d, all dogs or 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, and 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 Human Services.
c. 
Vaccination Certificate. The owner of each dog or cat must, as evidence of such vaccination, produce a certificate of vaccination, which shall be in a form recommended by the State and, if no form is so recommended by the State, in a form approved by the Board of Health. Said vaccination must be current through at least November 30 of the following licensing year.
d. 
Exemptions. Any dog or cat may be exempt from the vaccination requirements for a specified period of time by the Board of Health upon presentation of a veterinarian's certificate stating that, because of an infirmity of other physical condition, regimen or therapy, the inoculation of such dog or cat is deemed inadvisable.
[Ord. No. BOH 2-2005 § III; Ord. No. BOH 02-2009 § III]
a. 
License Number Displayed. Any person who owns, keeps or harbors a dog or cat of licensing age shall annually apply for and procure from the licensing authority through the Township Clerk, upon payment of the prescribed fee, a license and official registration tag with license number for each dog or cat so owned, kept or harbored and shall place upon such dog or cat a collar or other device with the license number securely fastened or displayed. Acceptable methods of displaying a license number shall include, but are not limited to, breakaway or elastic collars. License tags are not transferable.
b. 
Time for Applying for License.
1. 
The owner of any dog or cat in the Township shall make application for a license or renewal thereof on or before January 1 of each year. Only one license and registration tag shall be required in the licensing year for any dog or cat in the Township of Springfield.
2. 
In the case of dogs or cats that become licensing age after January 31 but before December 31 of the same year, the owner shall make application for a license tag for such dog or cat within 10 days after acquisition of age attainment. If a dog or cat becomes licensing age during the month of January, the owner need only make application for a license tag for such dog or cat prior to January 31 for the new licensing year.
c. 
Dogs or Cats Brought into Jurisdiction.
1. 
Any person who brings into or causes to be brought into the Township any dog or cat currently licensed in another municipality in this State or any other state through, at least, December 31 of the current licensing year and providing evidence to the licensing authority through the Township Clerk of the registration tag shall be permitted to keep said dog or cat within the Township through the current licensing year ending December 31 so long as said dog or cat is vaccinated against rabies through November 30.
2. 
Except as provided in paragraph c1 above, any person who brings into or causes to be brought into the Township any unlicensed dog or cat, shall not be permitted to keep the same within the Township for a period of more than 10 days unless such person shall have applied for a license and registration tag for each such dog or cat within that time period.
d. 
Application, Contents, Preservation of Information. The application for a dog or cat license or renewal thereof shall state the breed, sex, age, color and markings of the dog or cat, also the name, street and post office address of the owner and the person who shall keep or harbor such dog or cat. The information on said application and the registration number issued for the dog or cat shall be preserved for a period of three years by the licensing authority.
e. 
License Forms and Tags. License forms and official tags shall be furnished by the licensing authority through the Township Clerk and shall be numbered serially, and shall bear the year of issuance and the name of the municipality.
f. 
Evidence of Inoculation. The licensing authority shall not grant a license and official registration tag for any dog or cat unless the owner provides a vaccination certificate pursuant to Section BH2-5c above or the dog or cat has been certified exempt as provided in Section BH2-5d above. The rabies inoculation shall be administered by a duly licensed veterinarian permitted by law to do it.
g. 
License Fee Schedule. Effective January 1, 2006, and for each successive licensing year or portion thereof a payment of $9 for each unneutered dog or cat and $6 for each neutered dog or cat. Persons who fail to obtain a license as required within the time period specified herein shall be subject to a delinquent fee of $2 per month, with a maximum of $10.
h. 
Fees, Renewals; Expiration Date of License. The fee for the renewal of license and registration tag shall be the same as for an original license. Each original license and registration tag and renewal thereof shall expire on the 31st day of December, in the following year.
i. 
Loss of License. If a license tag is misplaced or lost, the licensing authority through the Township Clerk may issue a duplicate license and/or registration tag for that particular at a fee of $1, effective January 1, 2006 at a fee of $5.
j. 
Proof of License. Proof of licensing shall be produced by any person owning, keeping, maintaining or harboring a dog or cat, upon request of any health official, police officer, animal control officer or other authorized person.
k. 
Interfering with Persons. No person shall hinder, molest or interfere with anyone authorized or empowered to perform any duties under this Article.
l. 
Disposition of Fees Collected.
1. 
License fees and other moneys collected or received under the provisions of this Article shall be forwarded to the Treasurer of the Township of Springfield, and shall be placed in a trust account of the Township of Springfield and shall be used for the following purposes only:
(a) 
Collecting, keeping and disposing of dogs or cats liable to seizure.
(b) 
For local prevention and control of rabies.
(c) 
Providing anti-rabies treatment under the direction of the Board of Health for any person known or suspected to have been exposed to rabies.
(d) 
For administering the provisions of this Article.
2. 
Such money shall be used to help defray the costs incurred by a resident of the Township to pick up injured, deceased or wild animals that do not belong to them.
[Ord. No. BOH 2-2005 § III; Ord. No. BOH 02-2009 § III]
a. 
An agent designated by the licensing authority may take dogs or cats into custody and impound and later destroy them, release them to the owner, or offer them for adoption, as provided in this section, in the following situations:
1. 
The owner does not produce a current license or registration tag for a dog or cat required to be licensed.
2. 
A dog or cat is suspected to be a stray, abandoned, diseased, or to have bitten a person or other animal, pursuant to N.J.S.A. 26:4-82.
b. 
If any dog or cat is taken into custody whose owner is known or which is wearing a registration tag, an authorized agent shall attempt to contact the owner. If the dog or cat is not claimed by the owner or contact cannot be made with the owner within 48 hours of seizure, a notice in writing will be sent to the owner stating that the dog or cat has been seized and is subject to being offered for adoption or destroyed if not claimed within 14 days after the service of the notice.
c. 
Notice under this section shall be deemed to be effective if served personally, or by leaving it at the person's usual last known place of abode or at the address given in the license application or by mailing to any such address by United States mail, postage prepaid.
d. 
An authorized agent of the licensing authority may cause a dog or cat to be offered for adoption or destroyed in a manner causing as little pain as possible and consistent with the provisions of N.J.S.A. 4:22-19, 14 days after seizure, provided that:
1. 
The dog or cat was not wearing a valid registration tag at the time of seizure and the owner is unknown;
2. 
A notice was served as provided and the dog or cat was not claimed; or
3. 
The owner or person keeping or harboring a dog or cat, which was unlicensed at the time of seizure, does not, within seven days, produce a valid license and registration tag for the dog or cat.
e. 
Whether or not the dog or cat is claimed, the owner is responsible for:
1. 
All maintenance charges for the dog or cat.
2. 
All expenses involved in preparing the dog or cat for submission to appropriate authorities.
f. 
No impounded dog or cat shall be sold or otherwise made available for the purpose of experimentation.
g. 
After observation, any impounded dog or cat shall be reported immediately to the Health Officer of the Township.
h. 
If an owner requests pickup of a dog or cat to be disposed, including any puppies or kittens born to the parent dog or cat, the owner shall be responsible for all expenses in connection with disposal of the unwanted animal(s).
[Ord. No. BOH 2-2005 § III; Ord. No. BOH 02-2009 § III]
Where no other penalty is established by law, any person who violates any portion of this Article shall, upon conviction, be fined not less than $50 for each offense, except that if a person is merely delinquent in licensing said dog or cat, such person shall pay a fine of $2 per month to a maximum of $10. Each day the violation continues shall constitute a separate and distinct offense.