[Adopted 6-18-1970 as
Chapter XVII of the General Ordinances]
[Amended 5-4-2006 by Ord.
No. 2006-10]
For the purpose of this article, the following terms, phrases,
words and their derivations shall have the meanings stated herein
unless their use in the text of this article clearly demonstrates
a different meaning. When not inconsistent with the context, words
in the present tense include the future, words used in the plural
number include the singular number, and words used in the singular
number include the plural number. The word "shall" is always mandatory
and not merely directory.
DOG
Any dog, male or female, altered or unaltered.
[Amended 9-20-1979 by Ord. No. 79.21]
DOG OF LICENSING AGE
Any dog which has attained the age of seven months or which
possesses a set of permanent teeth.
IMMEDIATE
That the pet solid waste is removed at once, without delay.
[Added 5-4-2006 by Ord.
No. 2006-10]
KENNEL
Any establishment wherein or whereon the business of boarding
or selling dogs or breeding dogs for sale is carried on, except a
pet shop.
LEASH
Any rope, chain, strap or other restraining device.
[Added 9-20-1979 by Ord.
No. 79-21]
OWNER/KEEPER
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.
[Added 5-4-2006 by Ord.
No. 2006-10]
PERSON
Any individual, corporation, company, partnership, firm,
association, or political subdivision of this state subject to municipal
jurisdiction.
[Added 5-4-2006 by Ord.
No. 2006-10]
PET
A domesticated animal (other than a disability assistance
animal) kept for amusement or companionship.
[Added 5-4-2006 by Ord.
No. 2006-10]
PET SHOP
Any room or group of rooms, cage or exhibition pen, not part
of a kennel, wherein dogs for sale are kept or displayed.
PET SOLID WASTE
Waste matter expelled from the bowels of the pet; excrement.
[Added 5-4-2006 by Ord.
No. 2006-10]
POUND
An establishment for the confinement of dogs seized either
under the provisions of this article or otherwise.
PROPER DISPOSAL
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.
[Added 5-4-2006 by Ord.
No. 2006-10]
SHELTER
Any establishment where dogs are received, housed and distributed.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General
Provisions, Art. I)]
TOWNSHIP OFFICIAL
Any Township Code Enforcement Official, Township Police Department
Officer, Gloucester County Animal Control Officer, the Municipal or
Deputy Clerk, or any other official or person assigned or designated
by Mayor and Council.
[Added 12-19-2018 by Ord.
No. 2018-17]
VICIOUS DOG
Any dog which has attacked or bitten any human being or which
habitually attacks other dogs or domestic animals.
No person shall keep or harbor any dog of licensing age within
the Township of West Deptford, in the County of Gloucester, without
first obtaining a license therefor, to be issued by the Clerk of the
Township or any other individual or corporation duly authorized to
issue such licenses by the Township Committee of the Township of West
Deptford, upon application by the owner and payment of the prescribed
fee, and no person shall keep or harbor any dog in said Township except
in compliance with the provisions of this article.
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.
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.
[Amended 3-10-2011 by Ord. No. 2011-01]
The annual fee for a kennel providing accommodations for 10 or less dogs, and for more than 10 dogs, shall be as set forth in Chapter
11. The annual license fee for a pet shop shall be as set forth in Chapter
11. No fee shall be charged for a shelter or pound.
The Clerk of the Township or other local official designated
to license dogs in the municipality shall forward to the State Department
of Health a list of all kennels, pet shops, shelters and pounds licensed
within 30 days after the licenses therefor are issued, which list
shall include the name and address of the licensee and kind of license
issued.
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.
The Township Committee shall have the power to employ Animal
Control Officers, whose duty it shall be to enforce the provisions
of this article.
[Added 9-20-1979 by Ord.
No. 79-21]
A. Injured animals. Any person who has injured or killed an animal with
a motor vehicle shall stop said vehicle and promptly notify either
the police or the owner of the animal.
B. Disposal of unwanted animals: fee. The owner of any unwanted animal
seized or held by the Township pursuant to this article shall pay
a disposal service fee equivalent to the then current fee charged
by the S.P.C.A.
C. Knowledge or suspicion of rabies. If a dog, cat or other animal is
known or believed to have rabies or has been bitten by a dog or cat
or other animal known or suspected of having rabies, the owner of
such animals shall have the animal confined for a period specified
by the State Department of Health for observation.
[Added 9-20-1979 by Ord.
No. 79-21]
A. Fines for violation of certain regulations. Owners of animals who are found in violation of any of the subsections of §
82-14, Regulation of dogs, cats and other animals, shall be subject to the imposition of the following fines: first offense, $10; second offense, $20; third and subsequent offense, $50 for each such offense. The Animal Control Officer shall issue notices of violation in ticket form.
[Amended 3-10-2011 by Ord. No. 2011-01; at time of adoption of Code (see
Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I)]
B. Other fines and penalties. Any person violating the provisions of this article, other than Subsection
A above, shall be subject to the general penalty provisions set forth in Chapter
1, General Provisions §
1-15.
[Amended 7-2-1981 by Ord.
No. 81-17]
[Added 5-4-2006 by Ord.
No. 2006-10; amended 12-19-2018 by Ord. No. 2018-17]
A. The Township Official shall enforce the provisions of this article.
Nothing herein shall prohibit a private citizen from bringing or signing
a complaint for an alleged violation of this article.
B. Animal cruelty investigations. Gloucester County Animal Control Officers
(GCACO), or other designee, may investigate, and/or require compliance
for violations pursuant to N.J.S.A. 4:22. In the event the GCACO,
or designee sees, or recognizes a potential violation of law, or the
need arises where an investigation is warranted; then the GCACO shall
make report said matter to the Municipal Humane Law Enforcement Officer
for further action. The GCACO may continue to participate in the investigation
as requested or required.
[Added 5-4-2006 by Ord.
No. 2006-10]
Each section, subsection, sentence, clause and phrase of this
article is declared to be an independent section, subsection, sentence,
clause and phrase, and the finding or holding of any such portion
of this article to be unconstitutional, void, or ineffective for any
cause, or reason, shall not affect any other portion of this article.
[Adopted 5-18-2016 by Ord. No. 2016-07]
As used in this article, the following terms shall have the
meanings indicated:
ANIMAL CARE FACILITY
An animal control center or animal shelter, maintained by
or under contract with any state, county, or municipality, whose mission
and practice is in whole or significant part, the rescue and placement
of animals in permanent homes or rescue organizations.
ANIMAL RESCUE ORGANIZATION
Any not-for-profit organization which has tax-exempt status
under Section 501(c)(3) of the United States Revenue Code, whose mission
and practice is, in whole or in significant part, the rescue and placement
of animals in permanent homes.
CAT
A member of the species of domestic cat, Felis catus.
DOG
A member of the species of domestic dog, Canis familiaris.
OFFER FOR SALE
To sell, offer for sale or adoption, advertise for the sale
of, barter, auction, give away or otherwise dispose of a dog or cat.
PET SHOP
A retail establishment where dogs and cats are sold, exchanged,
bartered or offered for sale as pet animals to the general public
at retail. Such definition shall not include an animal care facility
or animal rescue organization, as defined.