[Ord. #12/1/41, S 1]
As used in this chapter:
DOG
Shall mean any dog, bitch or spayed bitch.
DOG OF LICENSING AGE
Shall mean any dog which has attained the age of seven months or which possesses a set of permanent teeth.
KENNEL
Shall mean 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 mean and include every person having a right of property in such dog and every person who has such dog in his keeping.
PET SHOP
Shall mean any room or group of rooms, cage or exhibition pen, not part of a kennel, wherein dogs for sale are kept or displayed.
POUND
Shall mean an establishment for the confinement of dogs seized either under the provisions of this chapter or otherwise.
SHELTER
Shall mean any establishment where dogs are received, housed and distributed without charge.
The words "and" and "or" may be used interchangeably, and either of the two may be applicable, whichever is more conducive towards the effectuating of this chapter.
[Ord. #12/1/41, S 2; Ord. #2002-36, S 1]
No person shall keep or harbor any dog within the township without first obtaining a license therefor, to be issued by the animal registrar upon application by the owner and payment of the prescribed fee, and no person shall keep or harbor a dog in the township except in compliance with the provisions of this chapter. Dogs may be registered annually or for a three-year period as authorized by N.J.S.A. 4:19-15.12.
[Ord. #12/1/41, S 3; Ord. #2002-36, S 1]
Any person who shall own, keep or harbor a dog of licensing age shall, annually in the month of January, or every three years in the month of January, apply for and procure from the animal registrar an 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.
[Ord. #2/20/67, S 4; New; Ord. #90-7, S 1; Ord. #98-34, S 3; Ord. #2002-36, S 1; Ord. #2011-012; amended 10-21-2024 by Ord. No. 2024-020]
a. 
Fee Schedule. The fee for a dog license shall be as follows:
1. 
Annual licenses:
Neutered dogs: $17.00 per dog
Unneutered dogs: $20.00 per dog
2. 
Three-year licenses:
Neutered dogs: $40.00 per dog
Unneutered dogs: $50.00 per dog
b. 
For each annual or three-year renewal, the fee for the license and for the registration tag shall be the same as for the original license and tag. The licenses, registration tags and renewals thereof shall expire on the last day of January in each year or every third year. New Jersey State license fees are included in the fee schedule set out above and will be transferred to the state by the animal registrar. The state fees include: a one ($1.00) dollar fee for annual registration tag and a three ($3.00) dollar fee for three-year registration tag; a three ($3.00) dollar fee for any dog of reproductive age that is unneutered; and a twenty ($0.20) cent fee per dog which is placed in the state "Pilot Clinic Fund" created pursuant to N.J.S.A. 4:19-15.3c to be used for the operation of an animal sterilization clinic. If a license or registration tag has been misplaced or lost, the animal registrar may issue a duplicate license and/or registration tag for that particular dog for a fee of $2.
[Ord. #84-8, S 1; Ord. #90-7, S 2; Ord. #2002-36, S 1; Ord. #2011-012; amended 10-21-2024 by Ord. No. 2024-020]
Any person who fails to apply for and procure a dog license or registration or renewal thereof pursuant to subsection 5-2.3 on or before January 31 of each year will be subject to a late fee in the amount of $10, which may otherwise be imposed by this section or according to law, except that the late fee established by this section shall not apply to dog licenses issued.
[Ord. #2/20/67, S 5-2.4]
Dogs used as guides for blind persons and commonly known as "seeing eye" dogs shall be licensed and registered as other dogs hereinabove provided for, except that the owner or keeper of such dog shall not be required to pay any fee thereafter.
[Ord. #12/1/41, S 5-2.5]
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.
[Ord. #12/1/41, S 5-2.6]
The application 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. The information on the application and the registration number issued for the dog shall be preserved for a period of three years by the township clerk. In addition he shall forward similar information to the State Department of Health each month, on forms furnished by the department. Registration numbers shall be issued in the order of the applications.
[Ord. #12/1/41, S 7]
Any person who shall bring or cause to be brought to 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 and registration tag for each such dog, unless such dog be licensed under subsection 5-3.1.
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 ten days, shall immediately apply for a license and registration tag for each such dog unless such dogs be licensed under subsection 5-3.1.
[Ord. #12/1/41, S 8]
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.
[Ord. #12/1/41, S 9]
Any person who keeps or operates or proposes to establish a kennel, a pet shop, a shelter or a pound shall apply to the township clerk for a license entitling him to keep or operate such establishment.
The application shall describe the premises where the establishment is located or is proposed to be located, the purpose or purpose for which it is to be maintained, and shall be accompanied by the written approval of the health officer of the board of health of the township, showing compliance with the local and state rules and regulations governing location of and sanitation at such establishments.
[Ord. #12/1/41, S9]
All licenses issued for a kennel, pet shop, shelter or pound shall state the purpose for which the establishment is maintained and all such licenses shall expire annually on June 30 and be subject to revocation by the township committee on recommendations of the State Department of Health or the board of health of the township for failure to comply with the rules and regulations of the State Department or the board of health of the township governing the same after the owner has been afforded a hearing by either the State Department or the township board of health.
[Ord. #12/1/41, S 9]
Any person holding such license shall not be required to secure individual licenses for dogs owned by such licensee and kept at such establishments; such license shall not be transferable to another owner or different premises.
[Ord. #12/1/41, S 10]
The annual license fee for a kennel providing accommodations for 10 or less dogs shall be $10 and for more than 10 dogs, $25. The annual license fee for a pet shop shall be $10, plus any state fees. No fee shall be charged for a shelter or pound.
[Ord. #12/1/41, S 11]
No dog kept in a kennel, pet shop, shelter or pound shall be permitted off such premises, except on leash or in a crate or other safe control.
[Ord. #12/1/41, S 12; New]
License fees and other moneys collected or received under the provisions of this chapter, shall be forwarded to the treasurer of the township within 48 hours after collection or receipt and shall be placed in a special account separate from any of the other accounts of the township and which shall be used for the following purposes only; for collecting, keeping and disposing of dogs liable to seizure under this chapter, for local prevention and control of rabies; for providing anti-rabid treatment under the direction of the local board of health for any person known or suspected to have been exposed to rabies; for all other purposes prescribed by the statutes of New Jersey governing the subject, and for administering the provisions of this chapter. Any unexpended balance remaining in such special account shall be retained therein until the end of the third fiscal year following and may be used for any of the 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 township any amount then in such account which is in excess of the total amount paid in the special account during the last two fiscal years next preceding. Fees collected for the state shall be forwarded to the state as provided by law or regulation.
[Ord. #12/1/41, S 14; Ord. #1/7/60, S 14]
The chief of police of the township shall, after February 1 each year, cause a canvass to be made of all dogs owned, kept or harbored within the limits of the township and shall report to the township clerk, the board of health of the township, and to the State Department of Health the results thereof, setting forth in separate columns the names and addresses of persons owning, keeping or harboring such dogs; the number of licensed dogs owned, kept or harbored by each person, together with the registration numbers of each dog; and the number of unlicensed dogs owned, kept or harbored by each person, together with a complete description of each unlicensed dog.
[Ord. #12/1/41, S 15; New]
The township committee shall have power to appoint an animal warden whose duty it shall be to enforce the provisions of this chapter. The township committee shall also have power to appoint one or more persons to be known as deputy animal wardens who may impound unlicensed dogs running at large in violation of this chapter.
[Ord. #12/1/41, S 16; New]
The animal warden of the township shall take into custody and impound or cause to be taken into custody and impounded, and thereafter destroyed or disposed of as provided in this section;
a. 
Any dog off the premises of the owner or of the person keeping or harboring the dog which the 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 the dog without a current registration tag on his collar;
c. 
Any dog off the premises of the owner or person keeping or harboring the dog with a current registration, or a tag with the owners name and address inscribed, or when the owner or person keeping or harboring the dog is known to the animal warden; except that the animal warden shall first send a written notice to the owner at the address indicated on the registration, collar or usual, or last, known place of abode, by first class mail. The notice shall state 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. When any dog so seized has been detained for seven days after notice, when notice can be given as above set forth, or has been detained for seven days after seizure, when notice has not been and cannot be given as above set forth, and if the owner or person keeping or harboring the dog has not claimed the dog and paid all expenses incurred by reason of its detention, including the usual and customary per diem maintenance and boarding charges, and if the dog be unlicensed at the time of seizure and the owner or person keeping or harboring the dog has not produced a license and registration tag for the dog, the warden may cause the dog to be destroyed in a humane manner causing as little pain as possible.
[Ord. #12/1/41, S 17]
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.
[Ord. #12/1/41, S 20; Ord. #12/2/63, S 20; New]
No person owning, possessing, keeping or harboring a dog, whether such dog is licensed or unlicensed, shall allow, or permit such dog to run at large on or about any place, public or private, within the township, except upon the premises of its owner. For the purpose of this chapter the term "at large" shall apply to a dog whether licensed or unlicensed found off the premises of its owner and not in the custody and under the control of its owner or other responsible person. The term "at large" shall not apply to dogs under the supervision of a person legally engaged in hunting or training dogs for hunting, however, the dogs must be under the verbal control of the person.
[Ord. #12/1/41, S 21]
Any dog which has attacked or bitten any human being, or which habitually attacks other dogs or domestic animals is hereby defined to be a vicious dog, for the purposes of this section. It shall be the duty of the police department to receive and investigate complaints against dogs, and when any dog complained against shall be deemed by the police to be a vicious dog, as herein defined, the officer shall report the facts to the municipal judge, who shall thereupon cause the owner or person harboring such dog to be notified in writing of the complaint against such dog, and to appear before the judge at a stated time and place. The judge, at the time set for such hearing, shall inquire into the facts, and give all interested persons an opportunity to be heard under oath, and to be represented by counsel, and the judge shall decide in accordance with the evidence before him. If the judge shall decide that such dog complained of is a vicious dog, as defined in this section, notice of such decision shall be given to the owner or person harboring such dog. No dog which has been so determined to be a vicious dog shall be permitted to run at large or be upon any street or public place in the township, except while securely muzzled and under leash, as provided in this chapter, and the owner or person harboring any such vicious dog who shall suffer or permit such dog to run at large or be upon any street or public place in the township while not securely muzzled and under leash, shall be guilty of a violation of this chapter.
[Ord. #87-13]
No person shall keep or harbor a dog which barks or cries, thereby disturbing the comfort, rest or repose of any person.
[Ord. #90-16, S 1]
For violation of any provision of this chapter, the maximum penalty, upon conviction, shall be a fine not exceeding $1,000, or imprisonment for a period not exceeding 90 days, or both; or a period of community service not exceeding 90 days in lieu of the said 90 day imprisonment. Also, any person or other entity who is convicted of violating this chapter within one year of the date of a previous violation of the same and who was fined for the previous violation, shall be sentenced to an additional fine as a repeat offender. The additional fine imposed upon a person or other entity for a repeated offense shall not be less than the minimum or exceed the maximum fine fixed for a violation of the chapter, but shall be calculated separately from the fine imposed for the violation.
[Ord. #90-6, S 1]
As used in this section:
CAT
Shall mean any member of the domestic feline species; male, female or altered.
CAT OF LICENSING AGE
Shall mean any cat which has attained the age of seven months, or which possesses a set of permanent teeth.
ANIMAL
For the purpose of this chapter, "animal" shall mean dog or cat.
ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICER
Shall mean any person or agency designated or certified by the State of New Jersey to enforce the provisions of this section.
OWNER
When applied to the proprietorship of a cat 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 that person.
CATTERY
Shall mean any room or group of rooms, cage, or exhibition pen, not part of a kennel, wherein cats for sale are kept or displayed.
PERSON
Shall mean any individual, corporation, partnership, organization or institution commonly recognized by law as a unit.
LICENSING AUTHORITY
Shall mean the Department of Health of the Township of Bedminster or any designated representative thereof charged with administering the issuance and/or revocation of permits and licenses under the provisions of this section.
NEUTERED
Shall mean rendered permanently incapable of reproduction as certified by a licensed veterinarian.
[Ord. #90-6, S 2]
a. 
Vaccination and license requirements. No person shall own, keep, harbor or maintain any cat over seven months of age within the Township of Bedminster unless such cat is vaccinated and licensed. The provisions of this section do not apply to cats held in a cattery, or those held by a state or federal licensed research facility, or a veterinary establishment where cats are received or kept for diagnostic, medical, surgical or other treatments, or licensed animal 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.
c. 
Vaccination certificate. A certificate of vaccination shall be issued to the owner of each animal vaccinated on a form recommended by the state.
d. 
Exemptions. Any cat may be exempted from the requirements of such vaccination for a specified period of time by the Township of Bedminster 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.
[Ord. #90-6, S 3; Ord. #2011-012; amended 10-21-2024 by Ord. No. 2024-020]
a. 
Cats must have license number displayed. Any person who shall own, keep or harbor a cat of licensing age shall annually apply for and procure from the Clerk of the Township of Bedminster or other official designated by the governing body of the Township of Bedminster to license cats, a license and official registration tag with license number, or a registration sleeve for each cat so owned, kept or harbored and shall place upon such cat a collar or other device with the license number securely fastened or displayed thereto. Acceptable methods of displaying a license number shall include, but are not limited to, break-away or elastic collars. Licensing tags or sleeves are not transferable.
b. 
Time for applying for license. The owner of any newly acquired cat of licensing age or of any cat which attains licensing age, shall make application for license tag or sleeve for such cat within 10 days after such acquisition or age attainment. This requirement will not apply to a non-resident keeping a cat within the Township of Bedminster for a period not exceeding 90 days.
c. 
Cats brought into jurisdiction. Any person who shall bring or cause to be brought into the Township of Bedminster any cat licensed in another state or in another municipality within the State of New Jersey for the current year and bearing a registration tag or sleeve and shall keep the same or permit the same to be kept within the Township of Bedminster for a period of more than 90 days shall immediately apply for a license and registration tag or sleeve for each such cat.
Any person who shall bring or cause to be brought into the Township of Bedminster any unlicensed cat of licensing age and shall keep same or permit same to be kept within the township for a period of more than 10 days shall immediately apply for a license and registration tag or sleeve for each such cat.
d. 
Application, contents, preservation of information. The application shall state the breed, sex, age, color and markings of the cat 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 cat. The information on said application and the registration number issued for the cat shall be preserved for a period of three years by the Clerk or other official designated to license cats in the Township of Bedminster.
e. 
License forms and tags. License forms and official tags or sleeves shall be furnished by 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 with rabies vaccine or certification of exemption; requirement for license. A license and official registration tag or sleeve shall not be granted for any cat unless the owner thereof provides evidence that the cat to be licensed and registered has been inoculated 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, or has been certified exempt or provided in subsection 5-13.2 of this section. The rabies inoculation shall be administered by a duly licensed veterinarian, or by such other veterinarian permitted by law to do the same.
g. 
License fee schedule. A license shall be issued after payment of a fee of $20 for each unneutered cat and $17 for each neutered cat.
h. 
Fees, renewals, expiration date of license. Licenses from another municipality shall be accepted along with evidence of inoculation with rabies vaccine or certification of exemption as provided in paragraph f of this subsection. The person applying for the license and registration tag or sleeve shall pay the fee fixed or authorized. The fee for the renewal of license and registration tag or sleeve shall be the same as for the original and said license, registration tag or sleeve and renewal thereof shall expire on January 1 in the following year.
Only one license and registration tag or sleeve shall be required in the licensing year for any cat in the Township of Bedminster.
i. 
Loss of license. If a license tag or sleeve has been misplaced or lost, the township clerk may issue a duplicate license and/or registration sleeve for that particular cat at a fee of $2.
j. 
Proof of licensing. Proof of licensing shall be produced by any person owning, keeping, maintaining or harboring a cat, upon the request of any health official, police officer, animal control officer or other authorized person.
k. 
Interfering with person performing duties under this section. No person shall hinder, molest or interfere with anyone authorized or empowered to perform any duty under this section.
l. 
Disposition of fees collected. License fees and other moneys collected or received under the provisions of this section shall be forwarded to the treasurer of the township and shall be placed in a special account for cats and dogs separate from any of the other accounts of the township and shall be used for the following purposes only: collecting, keeping and disposing of cats and dogs liable to seizure, for local prevention and control of rabies and for administering the provisions of this section. Any unexpected balance remaining in such special account shall be retained until the end of the third fiscal year following and may be used for any of the purposes set forth in this section. At the end of the said 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 township 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.
m. 
Any cat found running at large without a license may be impounded by the animal control officer and/or a Bedminster police officer. Any cat which has been alleged to have bitten or scratched any person may be impounded for purposes of observation as to rabies. Such officer may go upon private property (but not into an inhabited building without consent of the occupant thereof) to so impound such cat.
Any cat impounded for running at large without a license may, after notice to the owner thereof (if known), be impounded for seven days. If the cat is not reclaimed within that time by the owner, the cat may be destroyed. No cat so impounded shall be returned to its owner unless proof can be shown that it has a current rabies inoculation. The owner shall pay a fee of $15 per day for each day the cat is so impounded plus any kennel fees and/or veterinarian fees which exceed the $15 per day fee imposed herein.
n. 
This section shall take effect immediately upon final adoption and publication according to law and all licenses shall be obtained within 60 days from final adoption and publication. Thereafter, licenses shall be obtained in January of each year with an additional fee of $2 per month for each month after January that the license is delinquent. (There shall be no late fee penalties during fiscal year 1990).
In addition, those failing to obtain a license shall be subject to penalties set forth in this section.
[Ord. #90-6, S 4]
Violations of section; penalty. Except as otherwise provided in this section, any person who violates or who fails or refuses to comply with this section shall be liable for a penalty of $30 for each offense, to be recovered by and in the name of the Township of Bedminster.
[Ord. #05-26, S 1]
For the purpose of this Section 5-14, the following terms, phrases and words shall have the meanings stated herein.
a. 
IMMEDIATE – Shall mean that the pet solid waste is removed at once, without delay.
b. 
OWNER/KEEPER – Shall mean any person who shall possess, maintain, house or harbor any pet or otherwise have custody of any pet, whether or not the owner of such pet.
c. 
PET – Shall mean a domesticated animal (other than a disability assistance animal) kept for amusement or companionship.
d. 
PET SOLID WASTE – Shall mean matter expelled from the bowels of the pet; excrement.
e. 
PROPER DISPOSAL – Shall mean placement in a designated waste receptacle, or other suitable container, and discarded in a refuse container which is regularly emptied by the municipality or some other refuse collector; or disposal into a system designed to convey domestic sewage for proper treatment and disposal.
[Ord. #05-26, S 1]
All animals shall be controlled by an adequate leash or otherwise physically controlled by their owner or master. All animals shall be curbed.
[Ord. #05-26, S 1]
All pet owners and keepers are required to immediately and properly dispose of their pet's solid waste deposited on any property, public or private, not owned or possessed by that person. Any owner or keeper who requires the use of a disability assistance animal shall be exempt from the provisions of this section while such animal is being used for that purpose.
[Ord. #05-26, S 1]
This section shall be enforced by the health officer or police of the Township of Bedminster.
[Ord. #05-26, S 1]
Any person(s) who shall violate or fail to comply with any provision of this section, upon conviction thereof, shall be subject to a fine as established in Section 1-5.
[Ord. #05-26, S 1]
Horses shall be prohibited from all areas within the township parks, except that horseback riding shall be permitted on designated bridle paths.
[Ord. #05-27, S 1]
To prohibit the feeding of unconfined wildlife in any public park or on any other property owned or operated by the Township of Bedminster, so as to protect public health, safety and welfare, and to prescribe penalties for failure to comply.
[Ord. #05-27, S 1]
For the purpose of this Section 5-16, the following terms, phrases and words shall have the meanings stated herein.
a. 
FEED – Shall mean to give, place, expose, deposit, distribute or scatter any edible material with intention of feeding, attracting or enticing wildlife. Feeding does not include baiting in the legal taking of fish and/or game.
b. 
WILDLIFE – Shall mean all animals that are neither human nor domesticated.
[Ord. #05-27, S 1]
No person shall feed, in any public park or on any other property owned or operated by the Township of Bedminster, any wildlife, excluding confined wildlife (e.g. wildlife confined in zoos, parks or rehabilitation centers, or unconfined wildlife at environmental education centers).
[Ord. #05-27, S 1]
This section shall be enforced by the health officer or police of the Township of Bedminster.
[Ord. #05-27, S 1]
Any person(s) who shall violate or fail to comply with any provision of this section, upon conviction thereof, shall be subject to a fine as established in Section 1-5.