It is an objective of this article to protect the public and
animals from the spread of rabies to animals and humans since rabies
is transmissible to humans and is fatal in all cases; and it is a
further objective of this article to protect the public from animal-related
nuisances and threats to public health, safety and welfare; and it
has been determined that these objectives can be fostered by assuring
that animal owners meet responsibilities for the control and care
of their cats.
As used in this article, the following terms shall have the
meanings indicated:
ANIMAL CONTROL AUTHORITY
Any person or agency designated by the borough and certified
by the State of New Jersey to enforce the provisions of this article.
CAT
Any member of the domestic feline species, male, female or
altered.
CAT OF LICENSING AGE
Any cat which has attained the age of six months or which
possesses a set of permanent teeth.
CATTERY
Any room or group of rooms, cage or exhibition pen, not part
of a kennel, wherein cats for sale are kept or displayed.
LICENSING AUTHORITY
The agency or department of the Borough of Pine Beach or
any designated representative thereof charged with administering the
issuance and/or revocation of permits and licenses under the provisions
of this article.
NEUTERED
Rendered permanently incapable of reproduction as certified
by a licensed veterinarian.
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.
Any person who shall own, keep or harbor a cat of licensing
age shall annually apply for and procure from the Clerk of the municipality,
or other official designated by the governing body thereof to license
cats in the municipality in which he/she resides, 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 the license
number shall include but are not limited to breakaway or elastic collars.
License tags or sleeves are not transferable. Any owner may elect
to not display the registration tag or sleeve on his/her cat, and
this shall not constitute a violation of this article, provided that
the license, registration tag or sleeve and vaccination certificate
are available at all times for inspection by the animal control authority.
If any person shall display or present for inspection a license, registration
tag or sleeve or a vaccination certificate which is fictitious or
is for a cat other than that on which it is displayed or for which
it is presented, this shall constitute a separate and distinct offense.
The owner of any newly acquired cat of licensing age or of any
cat which attains licensing age shall make application for a 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 Pine Beach for no longer than 90 days.
License forms and official tags or sleeves shall be furnished
by the municipality and shall be numbered serially and shall bear
the year of issuance and the name of the municipality.
No Municipal Clerk or other official designated by the governing body of any municipality to license cats therein shall grant any such license and official registration tag or sleeve 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 as provided by §
76-24 of this article. The rabies inoculation shall be administered by a duly licensed veterinarian or by such other veterinarian permitted by law to do the same.
The person applying for the license and registration tag and/or
sleeve shall pay the fee fixed or authorized.
The fee for the renewal of a license and registration tag or
sleeve shall be the same as for the original.
Said license, registration tag or sleeve and renewal thereof
shall expire on December 31 of that calendar year.
If a license tag or sleeve has been misplaced or lost, the Borough
Clerk may issue a duplicate license and/or registration sleeve for
that particular cat at no charge.
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.
No person shall hinder, molest or interfere with anyone authorized
or empowered to perform any duty under this article.
Except as otherwise provided in this article, any person who
violates or who fails or refuses to comply with this article shall
be liable to a penalty of not less than $15 nor more than $200 and
may, in the discretion of the Court, be committed to the county jail
or ordered to perform community service for a period not exceeding
10 days for a first offense or 30 days for a second or subsequent
offense. If a violation is continuing, each day of violation shall
be deemed a separate offense.