[Prior code § 9A-1; amended by Ord. 91-9 § 1, 1991]
As used in this chapter:
ANIMAL
For the purposes of this chapter, "animal" means cat.
ANIMAL CONTROL AUTHORITY
Any person or agency designated or certified by the Borough to enforce the provisions of this chapter.
CAT
Any member of the domestic feline species — male, female or altered.
LICENSING AUTHORITY
The agency or department of the Borough or any designated representative charged with administering the issuance or revocation of permits, licenses and/or registrations under the provisions of this chapter.
OWNER
When applied to the proprietorship of an animal, means and includes every person having a right of property in such cat and every person who has such cat in his or her keeping or knowingly permits a cat to remain on or about any premises occupied by that person.
PERSON
Any individual, corporation, partnership, organization or institution commonly recognized by law as a unit.
[Prior code § 9A-2; amended by Ord. Ord. 91-9 § 1, 1991]
A. 
Vaccination Requirements. No person shall own, keep, harbor or maintain any animal over seven months of age within the Borough such animal is vaccinated, registered and licensed.
B. 
Vaccination. All animals 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 Public Health Veterinarians, so long as approved by and administered in accordance with the recommendations of the United States Department of Agriculture and the United States Department of Health, Education and Welfare, except as provided for in Subsection D of this section.
C. 
Vaccination Certificate. A certificate of vaccination by a licensed veterinarian shall be issued to the owner of each animal so vaccinated.
D. 
Exceptions. Any animal may be exempted from the requirements of such vaccination for a specified period of time by the local board of health upon presentation of a veterinarian certification stating that because of an infirmity or other physical condition, or regime of therapy, the inoculation of such animal shall be deemed inadvisable.
E. 
Registration and Licensing.
1. 
Any person who owns, keeps, harbors or maintains an animal of registering/licensing age shall annually apply and procure from the municipal clerk a license and official registration tag with a license number for each animal owned, kept, harbored or maintained. Each such animal shall have placed upon it a collar or similar devise with the license number and official tag securely fastened or displayed. The license and official registration tag with license number are not transferable.
2. 
The owner of any newly-acquired animal of registering/licensing age, or of any animal which attains such age, shall make application to register and license each such animal within 10 days after such acquisition or attainment age. This requirement shall not apply to a nonresident owner keeping an animal within the Borough for a maximum of 90 days.
3. 
Any person who shall bring or cause to be brought into the Borough any animal registered and licensed in another state for the current year, and bearing registration and license, and shall keep the animal or permit the animal to be kept within the Borough for a period of more than 90 days, shall immediately apply for a registration for such animal.
F. 
Application contents. The application to register and obtain a license shall state the breed, sex, age, color and markings for the animal for which registration is sought, and whether it is of long- or short-haired variety. In addition, the name and address of the owner or person who shall keep or harbor such animal shall be stated.
G. 
Registration Form and License Forms.
1. 
Registration forms furnished by the Borough shall be numbered serially and shall bear the year of issuance and the name "Borough of Ship Bottom." Such forms shall be in three parts for distribution as follows:
a. 
Licensing authority;
b. 
Police department;
c. 
Registration applicant.
2. 
License forms and official registration tags furnished by the Borough shall be numbered serially, coinciding with the registration form for each animal to be registered and licensed, and shall bear the year of issuance and the name "Borough of Ship Bottom."
H. 
Rabies Vaccination Requirement — Certificate of Exemption — Requirement for License. The municipal clerk shall neither register nor grant any license and official registration tag for any animal unless the owner provides evidence that the animal to be registered has been inoculated with a rabies vaccine of the 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, or has been certified exempt as provided by Subsection D of this section. The rabies inoculation shall be administered only by a licensed veterinarian.
I. 
License Fee Schedule.
1. 
A license shall be permitted after compliance with the requirements of this chapter and payment of a $2 license fee per animal.
2. 
Only one license shall be required in the licensing year for any animal in the Borough.
3. 
The fee for the renewal of a license shall be the same as for the original license.
J. 
License Expiration. Licenses shall expire on December 31st of each calendar year and shall be renewed before the first day of February of each calendar year.
K. 
Proof of Registration and License. Proof of registration and license shall be produced by any person owning, keeping, maintaining or harboring an animal, upon request of any health official, police officer, animal control officer or other such authorized person.
[Prior code § 9A-3; amended by Ord. 91-9 § 1, 1991]
The licensing fee and other moneys collected or received under the provisions of this chapter shall be forwarded to the Borough treasurer within 48 hours after collection or receipt and shall be placed in a special account separate from any of the other accounts of the Borough, and will be designated the "Cat License Account," and shall be used for the purposes as designated in Section 6.04.040.
[Prior code § 9A-4; amended by Ord. 91-9 § 1, 1991]
A. 
Cause for Impounding. The animal control officer or other such authorized person shall take into custody and impound or cause to be taken into custody and impounded any of the following cats:
1. 
Any cat believed to be a stray;
2. 
Any cat determined to be vicious.
B. 
Access to Premises. Any officer or agent authorized or empowered to perform any duty under this chapter is authorized to go upon any premises to seize for impounding any cat which they may lawfully seize and impound when such officer is in immediate pursuit of such cat, except upon the premises of owner of the cat, if the owner is present and forbids same.
C. 
Notice of Seizure — Costs of Impoundment.
1. 
If any cat so impounded wears identification with the name and address of any such person or the owner or person keeping or harboring the cat is known, the animal control officer shall immediately serve on the person whose address is given or to the person owning, harboring or keeping the cat, a notice in writing stating that the cat has been seized, and will be disposed of or destroyed if not claimed within seven days after service of the notice.
2. 
A notice under this subsection 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 residence, or at the address given on the collar, or by forwarding the notice by mail in a prepaid letter addressed to that person at their usual or last known place of residence, or to the address given on the collar.
3. 
The owner of the impounded cat shall pay all reasonable expenses of the detention, including maintenance not in excess of $0.50 per day.
D. 
Disposition of Unclaimed Cats. The animal control officer is authorized and empowered to cause the destruction of any unclaimed cat, in as humane a manner as possible, under the following contingencies: 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 detention, when notice has not been or cannot be given, as set forth in Subsection (C)(2) of this section.
[Prior code § 9A-5; amended by Ord. 91-9 § 1, 1991]
No person shall own, keep or harbor a cat in the Borough, except in compliance with the provisions of this chapter and the following regulations:
A. 
Interference with Official Duties. No person shall hinder, molest or interfere with anyone authorized or empowered to perform any duty under this chapter.
B. 
Property damage. No person owning, keeping or harboring a cat shall permit or suffer it to do any injury or to do any damage to any lawn, shrubbery, flowers, grounds or property.
[Ord. 91-9 § 1, 1991; amended by Prior code § 9A-6]
The Borough council shall have the power to appoint an animal control officer or any other person or persons, whose duty shall be to enforce the provisions of this chapter.
[Prior code § 9A-7; amended by Ord. 91-9 § 1, 1991]
Any person who shall violate any provision of this chapter, upon conviction, shall pay a fine of not less than $5 nor more than $50, for each and every offense.
[Prior code § 9A-8; amended by Ord. 91-9 § 1, 1991]
The statutory authority for the enactment of this registration and licensing chapter for cats is N.J.S.A. 4:19-15 et seq.