[Adopted 11-14-1991]
As used in this ordinance, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
ALTERED or STERILIZED
Any method utilized to prevent reproduction of a dog or cat.
[Amended 6-27-2019 by Ord. No. 2019-10]
ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICER
"Certified animal control officer" means a person 18 years of age or older who has satisfactorily completed the course of study approved by the Commissioner of Health and Senior Services and the Police Training Commission as prescribed by Paragraphs (1) through (3) of Subsection a. of section 3 of P.L.1983, c. 525 (N.J.S.A. 4:19-15.16a); or who has been employed in the State of New Jersey in the capacity of, and with similar responsibilities to those required of, a certified animal control officer pursuant to the provisions of P.L.1983, c. 525 for a period of three years before January 17, 1987.
[Amended 6-27-2019 by Ord. No. 2019-10]
CAT
Any member of the domestic feline species; male, female or altered.
CAT OF LICENSING AGE
Any cat which has attained the age of seven months or which possesses a set of permanent teeth.
CATTERY
Any room of group of rooms, cage or exhibition pen, not part of a kennel, wherein cats for sale are kept or displayed.
LICENSING AUTHORITY
The Registrar of Vital Statistics or any other person, official or agency of the Borough of Wenonah, as designated from time to time by the Mayor and Council, thereof charged with administering the issuance and/or revocation of permits and licenses under the provisions of this ordinance.
OWNER
When applied to the proprietorship of a cat, includes 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.
PERSON
Any individual, corporation, partnership, organization or institution commonly recognized by law as a unit.
A. 
Requirements. No person shall own, keep, harbor or maintain any cat over seven months of age within the Borough of Wenonah, including those cats held in a cattery, unless such cat is vaccinated and licensed in accordance with this ordinance.
B. 
Vaccination. All cats shall be vaccinated against rabies by a licensed veterinarian in accordance with guidelines and recommendations published by the National Association of State Public Health Veterinarians.
C. 
Vaccination certificate. A certificate of vaccination shall be issued to the owner of each animal 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 local 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. However, any such exemption granted shall immediately become null and void if such a cat shall be allowed freedom of movement so as to cause possible contact with wildlife.
A. 
Display of license number. Any owner of a cat shall annually apply for and procure from the licensing authority a license and official registration tag with license number, or a registration sleeve for each cat so owned, and shall place upon such cat a collar or other device with the license number securely fastened or displayed thereto. Acceptable methods of displaying license numbers shall include but are not limited to breakaway or elastic collars. License 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 nonresident keeping a cat within the Borough of Wenonah for no longer than 30 days.
C. 
Cats brought into jurisdiction.
(1) 
Any person who shall bring or cause to be brought into the Borough of Wenonah any cat licensed in another jurisdiction for the current year and bearing a registration tag or sleeve issued from said other jurisdiction and shall keep or permit the same to be kept within the Borough of Wenonah for a period of more than 90 days shall immediately apply for a license and registration tag or sleeve for each such cat.
(2) 
Any person who shall bring or cause to be brought into the Borough of Wenonah any unlicensed cat from another jurisdiction for a period of more than 10 days shall immediately apply for a license and registration tag or sleeve for each such cat.
D. 
Licensing period; renewal. The owner of every cat shall pay the license fees hereinafter provided for to the licensing authority on an annual calendar year basis. All license fees must be paid for by March 31 of each year. Payment received by mail postmarked on or before March 31 shall be considered paid timely. If March 31 falls on a weekend, holiday or other day when the offices of the licensing authority are not open, then the next available business day following March 31 when said offices are open shall count as the same. Where licensing is called for at some point within the year as required in § 5-52B or C, then a license shall be issued for the remainder of the then-current year, with a renewal required by March 31 of the following years as called for herein.
[Amended 2-28-2002 by Ord. No. 01-28]
E. 
Application; contents; preservation of information. The application shall state the breed, sex, age, color, name (if any) and markings of the cat for which license and registration are 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 is the owner of the 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 licensing authority.
F. 
License forms and tags. License forms and official tags or sleeves shall be furnished by the Borough of Wenonah and shall be numbered serially and shall bear the year of issuance and the name of the municipality.
G. 
Evidence of inoculation with rabies vaccine or certification of exemption; requirement for license. The licensing authority shall not grant any such license and official registration tag or sleeve for any cat unless the owner hereof 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 as provided for in § 5-51 of this ordinance. The rabies inoculation shall be administered by a duly licensed veterinarian or by such other veterinarian permitted by law to do the same.
H. 
License fee schedule. A license shall be issued after payment of a license fee of $7. An additional fee of $5 is assessed for each unaltered or unsterilized cat unless written proof is submitted by a licensed veterinarian evidencing that a neutering or spaying had taken place. Applications for licensing after the due date shall be assessed an additional late fee of $10 for the late issuance of each individual license.
[Amended 2-28-2002 by Ord. No. 01-28; 11-30-2017 by Ord. No. 2017-10; 6-27-2019 by Ord. No. 2019-10]
I. 
Expiration of license. Any license issued pursuant to this ordinance is deemed to be valid and in effect for the year given and until March 31 of the following year.
[Amended 2-28-2002 by Ord. No. 01-28]
J. 
Loss of license. If a license tag or sleeve has been misplaced or lost, the licensing authority may issue a duplicate license and/or registration sleeve for that particular cat at a fee of $2, upon written request of the owner, setting forth the circumstances of the lost tag or sleeve and requesting a replacement.
K. 
Proof of licensing. Proof of licensing shall be maintained and produced by any owner of a cat upon the request of any health official, police officer, Animal Warden, licensing authority or other person authorized by the Mayor and/or Borough Council.
A. 
Interfering with persons performing duties under this ordinance. No one shall hinder, molest or interfere with anyone authorized or empowered to perform any duty under this ordinance.
B. 
Specific violations. Any owner who fails to obtain a cat license under the provisions of this ordinance within the time periods specified or who permits a duly registered cat to run at large outside of a home without the proper display of a valid registration tag as called for in § 5-52A, shall be guilty of a violation of this ordinance.
C. 
Prohibited cat facilities. It shall be unlawful for any person to keep, maintain, operate or in any manner conduct any kennel, pet shop, shelter or pound having cats within the Borough of Wenonah.
D. 
Seizure of unlicensed cats; impounding. Any cat or cats not licensed pursuant to the provisions of this ordinance shall be subject to seizure by the duly appointed Animal Control Officer or any other person, corporation or authority appointed or designated for said purpose by the Mayor and Borough Council, including Police Officers of the Borough of Wenonah. Any cat who shall not have a registration tag securely fixed or fastened to its neck as called for in this ordinance shall be deemed unlicensed and subject to seizure. Any cat seized and impounded shall be kept for a minimum of seven days in an approved holding facility by the Animal Control Officer. Beyond the seventh day of impoundment, the facility may humanly euthanize said cat in an approved manner, or place the cat up for adoption pursuant to N.J.S.A. 4:19- 15.16.
[Amended 6-27-2019 by Ord. No. 2019-10]
E. 
Other prohibitions. Any owner who shall permit a cat to run at large upon the lands and premises of another person or upon the streets, highways or public places of the Borough of Wenonah shall be guilty of a violation of this article. No owner shall permit a cat to do any damage to any lawn, shrubbery, flowers, grounds or property or to do any injury upon another person or pet.
[Amended 6-27-2019 by Ord. No. 2019-10]
F. 
Seizure of cats; particular circumstances. Any cat, whether licensed or not, that is known to have, or is suspected of having, bitten, scratched, wounded or otherwise injured any person or persons or has chased, attacked or caused fear upon any person is subject to either seizure by or surrender to the duly appointed Animal Control Officer, Chief of Police, Department of Health official or any other borough official in a position of authority. In any such event, any cat so seized or surrendered shall be quarantined in any acceptable facility, in a humane manner and for a reasonable time until, upon the determination of the Wenonah Board of Health or such authority of competence as appointed by the Mayor and Borough Council that the cat does not pose a threat to the safety and health of the public. If such a determination cannot be reached or if a determination that the cat is a threat to the safety and/or health of the public is reached, then the borough shall proceed in accordance with law in having the cat destroyed in a humane manner or such other course of action as is deemed necessary.
[Amended 6-27-2019 by Ord. No. 2019-10]
G. 
Disposition of fees collected. License fees and other moneys collected or received under the provisions of this ordinance are to be disposed of in the same manner as called for in § 5-25 of this ordinance (as to dogs) except that, where applicable, funds shall be applied toward purposes having to do with cats.
H. 
Right of entry; exception. Any officer or agent authorized or empowered to perform any duty under this ordinance is hereby authorized to go upon any premises to seize, for impounding, any cat or cats which he may lawfully seize or impound when such an officer is in immediate pursuit of such cat or cats, except upon the premises of the owner of the cat if said owner is present and forbids the same; provided, however, that in the case of a cat that has caused injury to a person or is deemed to be a threat to the safety of the public, such officer may seize the same even upon the premises of the owner, regardless of objections.
Any person or persons found guilty of violating any provision of Article IV of this ordinance shall be subject to the same fines, penalties and other dispositions as called for in § 5-30 (Article I) as to dogs, kennels and stray animals.