Definitions: For purposes of this chapter, the following words,
terms and phrases, when used in this article, shall have the meanings
ascribed to them in this section, except where the context clearly
indicates a different meaning:
ANIMAL
Any live vertebrate creature including mammals, birds, reptiles,
amphibians and fish, but not humans.
ANIMAL RESCUE ORGANIZATION
A group or organization, which, with or without salary or
compensation, house, provide necessary medical care for and feed homeless
or unlicensed animals in a home or facility, with the intent of placing
the animals in permanent homes as soon as one becomes available. The
organization shall be classified as a not-for-profit organization
which has been granted tax-exempt status under § 501(c)(3)
of the United States Internal Revenue Code.
ANIMAL SHELTER
Any establishment where dogs, cats, or other animals are
received, housed and adopted out, but not a pet store.
AT-LARGE
An animal is considered "at large" when said animal is off
the property of its owner and:
A.
Has entered the property of another person without that owner's
authorization; or
B.
Has entered onto public property, street or right-of-way.
This definition does not apply if the animal is restrained by
its owner, or a caretaker, with a leash of no less than six feet in
length, or other physical control device, such that the animal is
under the physical control of the owner or caretaker.
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Nothing in this definition is intended to prevent dogs from
being on training leashes or retractable leashes or engaging in other
appropriate activities under adequate, responsible supervision where
care is taken to assure control as needed to prevent violations of
this chapter.
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BITE
To seize especially with teeth or jaws so as to enter, grip,
or wound. The Dunbar Scale shall be relied upon to determine the severity.
CAT
A member of the species felis catus, both male and female.
CAT OF LICENSING AGE
Any cat, which is not a community cat, reaching the age of
seven months or, if age cannot be determined, a cat which possesses
a set of permanent adult teeth.
COMMUNITY CAT
Any free-roaming cat, which may or may not be feral, with
a known caretaker. Community cats shall be distinguished from other
cats through ear-tip and sterilization. These cats are exempt from
the licensing, stray and at-large provisions of this chapter.
COMMUNITY CAT CAREGIVER
Any person who, in accordance with a community cat management/TNVR
(Trap Neuter Vaccinate Release) program will work to trap, sterilize,
vaccinate for rabies, ear-tip then return free-roaming cats or feral
cats to the area in which they were trapped. A caregiver shall not
be considered an owner of a community cat. A caregiver shall not possess,
keep or harbor a community cat. A community cat caregiver is not an
owner of community cats for the purpose of this chapter but is subject
to the provisions pertaining to community cat caregivers.
COMMUNITY CAT COLONY
A single community cat or a group of community cats that
congregate together outside as a unit. Any non-feral cat(s) that congregate
with a colony shall be deemed part of the colony.
DOG
A member of the species canis lupus, both male and female.
DOG OF LICENSING AGE
Any dog, reaching the age of seven months or, if age cannot
be determined, a dog which possesses a set of permanent adult teeth.
EARTIPPING/EAR-TIPPED
The straight-line cutting of the tip of one ear of a cat,
while the cat is anesthetized for spay or neuter. The left ear is
the universally accepted practice: although in the past a cat's
right ear may have been tipped.
FERAL CAT
A cat with no owner, which is unsocialized and undomesticated,
with a temperament of extreme fear of, and resistance to contact with
humans. Feral cats can be considered community cats and are typically
born in the wild, or are unsocialized offspring of socialized or feral
cats who through abandonment, reverted to an unsocialized state.
FOSTER HOME
Placement of an animal by an animal rescue organization with
a caretaker, who may be an individual or group, for the purpose of
providing temporary care for an animal, without the caretaker assuming
ownership, and with the intent that the caretaker relinquishes the
animal to the animal rescue organization or a suitable owner upon
one being located. A foster home may provide care to an animal without
the effect of the fostered animal counting toward the household pet
limit, however a foster home must comply with all other aspects of
this chapter.
FREE-ROAMING CAT
Any cat that is not confined in a house or other type of
enclosure. This includes pets, strays and feral cats.
HABITUALLY
A minimum of two separate occasions within a time period
of 30 days. Howling, barking, squawking, crying, or screaming by an
animal habitually, means making the sound persistently for at least
30 minutes on two separate days within a thirty-day period. See also
"Persistently".
HARBOR
The act of caring for and keeping an animal or the act of
providing a premises or residence to which the animal returns for
food, shelter or care, where the caregiver is providing the primary
source of sustenance for the animal for at least 10 days. Community
cat caregivers do not harbor community cats for the purposes of this
chapter.
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.
MICROCHIP
An electronic identification device inserted into an animal,
typically between the shoulder blades, by a veterinarian in accordance
with professional medical standards.
NEUTER
The act of surgically sterilizing a male animal by a licensed
veterinarian.
OFFER FOR SALE
To sell, offer for sale or adoption, advertise for the sale
of, barter, auction, or give away an animal.
OTHER ANIMALS
Any other domesticated animal or household pet, including
horses.
OUTDOOR CAT
Domesticated owned cats which are allowed to free-roam.
OWNER
Any person, household, firm, corporation, or other organization
who possesses a legal title to, a property interest in, or permanent
custody of any animal regulated by this chapter, this definition does
not include a foster or foster home.
PERSISTENTLY
Non-stop utterances for 30 consecutive minutes with interruption
of less than 30 seconds at a time. See also "Habitually".
PET SHOP
Any place of business which is not part of an animal shelter
or animal rescue organization facility, wherein animals, including,
but not limited to, dogs, cats, birds, fish, reptiles, rabbits, hamsters
or gerbils, are kept or displayed chiefly for the purpose of sale
to individuals for personal appreciation and companionship rather
than for business or research purposes.
POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS DOG
Any dog declared potentially dangerous pursuant to the criteria
set forth in N.J.S.A. 4:19-23, as same may be amended.
PROPER SHELTER
A structure that:
A.
Is sufficiently ventilated and insulated to protect an animal
from weather and provide refuge from precipitation, wind, extreme
temperature and/or direct sunlight; and
B.
Is fully enclosed with walls on three sides, with a fourth wall
having an entranceway low enough to allow the animal to enter and
exit comfortably, but not so large as to allow all heat to escape
in cold temperatures; and
C.
Has a solid, waterproof roof; and
D.
Has a solid floor that does not sag under the animal's
weight; and
E.
Has a door or flap covering the entranceway during temperatures
of 40° or below; and
F.
Is positioned at a sufficient elevation to prevent water from
running into the structure; and
G.
Is small enough to retain the animal's body heat in cold
weather and large enough for the animal to stand, turn around and
lay down in comfortably; and
H.
Is sturdy, structurally sound and in good repair; and
I.
If it contains bedding such bedding shall be clean and dry;
and
J.
Is surrounded by an area of at least five feet that is clear
of debris, feces, and urine.
SPAY
The act of surgically sterilizing a female animal by a licensed
veterinarian.
STRAY
Any animal found to be at-large, whether lost by its owner
or otherwise, or that is in the common areas of apartments, condominiums,
trailer parks or other multi-residential premises, and that does not
have identification tag or microchip and for which there is no identifiable
owner.
SUFFICIENT FOOD
Access to uncontaminated, palatable food, appropriate for
the species of animal, on a regular, ongoing basis in quantities sufficient
to maintain a regular body weight.
SUFFICIENT WATER
Access to clean, potable water on a regular, ongoing basis
in quantities sufficient to prevent the animal from experiencing dehydration.
TRAP-NEUTER-VACCINATE-RETURN (TNVR) PROGRAM
A program in which community feral and stray cats are humanely
trapped, spayed or neutered, vaccinated against rabies, ear-tipped
and returned to the location at which they were trapped.
TRAP/HUMANE TRAP
Any trap used to capture animals that is constructed so that
it does not harm the animal and that is regularly monitored.
VACCINATION
Treatment with a vaccine to produce immunity against a disease;
inoculation.
VETERINARIAN:
An individual who is licensed to engage in the practice of
veterinary medicine in the State of New Jersey.
VICIOUS DOG
Any dog declared vicious pursuant to the criteria set forth
in N.J.S.A. 4:19-22, as same may be amended.