[Adopted 6-21-2021 by Ord. No. 2021-3311]
For the purposes of this article, the following terms shall
have the meanings set forth in this section:
A person employed or appointed by the Township who is authorized
to investigate violations of laws and regulations concerning animals,
and to issue citations in accordance with New Jersey law and this
Code.
Any person or persons responsible for caring for a managed
cat colony.
A cat that is socialized to humans and is appropriate as
a companion for humans.
A tagged, notched or tipped ear as performed by a licensed
veterinarian.
A cat that is not socialized to humans and is not appropriate
as an inside companion for humans.
A group of cats that congregates, more or less, together
as a unit. Although not every cat in a colony may be feral, any non-feral
cats that congregate with a colony shall be deemed to be a part of
it.
A feral cat colony where a caregiver is given license to
TNVR, ear mark, electronic animal identification device (EAID), feed,
house, and take general care of the cats.
Disturbing the peace by:
Every person having a right of property, or having custody
or keeping a cat, or who harbors, maintains, regularly feeds, or knowingly
permits a cat to remain on or about premises occupied by that person.
Any individual, corporation, partnership, organization or
institution commonly recognized by law as a unit.
An entity appointed by the Township pursuant to § 137-31, which among other things, has entered into a memorandum of understanding with the Township to assume a role of responsibility for, and oversight of, caregivers being given license to care for managed cat colonies.
A cat that is regularly off the property of any owner, is
not under the physical control and restraint of any owner and is not
regularly provided with food by any owner.
Shelter that provides protection from rain, sun, and other
elements that is adequate to protect the health of the cat.
Trap, neuter, vaccinate, and return.
A program pursuant to which feral and stray cats are trapped,
neutered or spayed, vaccinated against rabies and returned to a managed
cat colony.
Those diseases transmittable to humans from animals, including
parasitic, bacterial, fungal and viral diseases.
A.
Owners of domesticated cats shall provide appropriate and adequate
food, water and shelter for their cats.
B.
The owner of a domesticated cat shall prohibit the cat from creating
a nuisance.
C.
The owner of a domesticated cat shall not permit his/her cat to roam
off of the property of said owner.
D.
An owner shall not abandon a domesticated cat.
A.
Feral cat colonies are not permitted and may not be established unless
licensed as a managed cat colony by a caregiver in accordance with
the terms and conditions of this article.
B.
Upon application, the Township shall issue a license only if the
caregiver and the managed cat colony complies with the terms and conditions
of this article.
D.
Feral cat colonies within the Township that are not licensed by the
Township are not entitled to any benefits or protections set forth
in this article.
Caregivers are responsible for the following:
A.
Registering as a feral cat caregiver with the Township;
B.
Registering the feral cat colony with the Township;
C.
Taking steps that will result in the vaccination of the colony population
for rabies and updating the vaccinations on all cats within the colony
to keep them current;
D.
Taking steps to further the objective of the spay/neuter of at least
90% of the colony population;
E.
Providing Township officials with descriptions of each cat in the
colony and copies of documents evidencing that the cats have been
vaccinated, spayed/neutered, implanted with EAID (as hereafter defined),
and ear marked;
F.
Providing food, water and, if feasible, shelter for colony cats;
G.
Feed cat colony on a schedule approved by the Township and return
to location within two hours to clean and maintain area as required;
H.
Observing the colony cats at least twice per week and keeping a record
of, and reporting to the Township, any illnesses or unusual behavior
noticed in any colony cats;
I.
Obtaining the approval, in writing, of the owner of any property,
to which the caregiver requires access to provide care to colony cats;
J.
In the event that kittens are born to a colony cat, the caregiver
shall take steps to result in the removal of the kittens from the
colony after they have been weaned, and the placement of the kittens
with the Township's sponsor if applicable for subsequent permanent
placement;
K.
Reporting annually in writing to the Township on the status of the
colony, including data on the number and gender of all cats in the
colony, the number of cats that died or otherwise ceased being a part
of the colony during the year, the number of kittens born to colony
cats and their disposition and the number of cats and kittens placed
in permanent homes as companion cats;
L.
Obtaining proper medical attention for any colony cat that appears
to require it;
M.
Adhering to N.J.S.A. 26:4-78 et seq., the caretaker shall be responsible
to report and confine any colony cat falling under the definitions
of rabies exposure as outlined in the quarantine guidelines;
N.
Prohibit cats from creating a nuisance in/on adjacent properties.
A.
Colony cat requirements.
(1)
The left ear of a colony cat that has been spayed or neutered and vaccinated shall be ear marked as provided in Subsection A(2).
(2)
An electronic animal identification device (EAID) shall be inserted
into the cat by a veterinarian in accordance with professional medical
standards. The colony number shall be used for purposes of the EAID.
B.
Disposition of colony cats.
(1)
An animal control officer or Township official who has trapped a
cat whose left ear has been tipped or which bears some other distinguishing
mark indicating that it belongs to a feral cat colony shall scan any
cat trapped or picked up for an EAID. If an EAID is found, the officer
shall return the cat to its colony or its owner and/or caretaker.
(2)
If the cat does not have an EAID, then the animal control officer
or Township official shall take custody of the cat. If the cat does
not have an EAID, and the owner cannot be located, then the cat will
be impounded in a shelter for a seven-day holding period.
A.
No person, other than a caregiver, shall feed feral cats on any property
within the Township.
B.
No person, other than a caregiver, shall leave food outdoors on any
property within the Township.
C.
No person shall take any action that impedes an individual from taking
and pursuing actions authorized by this article.
A.
The Township shall have the following rights:
(1)
The right to seize or remove cats from a colony that have not been
vaccinated against rabies and which are demonstrating signs of the
disease or any other zoonotic disease.
(2)
The right to seize or remove a cat from a colony that is creating
a nuisance, as defined by this article, and the caregiver and sponsor
have been given 30 days to remove and relocate the cat and have failed
to do so.
(3)
The right to seize or remove a colony of cats when the caregiver
regularly fails to comply with the requirements of this article and
the Township has not been able to obtain a replacement or substitute
caregiver within 30 days of the Township's notice to the Township
of the caregiver's failure to comply with this article.
A.
The Township may enter into a memorandum of understanding with an
organization to serve as a sponsor, as defined and subject to the
terms of this article.
B.
A duly appointed sponsor and its agents shall act in the name of
the Township and be considered Township officials for the purposes
of this article.
C.
Sponsor requirements. It shall be the duty of the sponsor to:
(1)
Submit the names and addresses of applicants for colony caregiver
for approval by Township Officials;
(2)
Resolve any complaints over the conduct of a colony caregiver or
of cats within a colony;
(3)
Maintain and submit to Township records provided by colony caregivers
on the size and location of the colonies as well as the vaccination
and spay/neuter records of cats in the sponsor's colonies;
(5)
Along with the caregiver, humanely capture, trap, spay/neuter, vaccinate/revaccinate
according to NJ State Dept. of Health duration of immunity guidelines,
and identify feral cats;
(6)
Take financial responsibility and action in the instance of an approved
caregiver abandoning a colony or failing to meet the responsibilities
of the role of caregiver;
(7)
Reporting annually in writing to Township officials on the status
of the colony, including data on the number and gender of all cats
in the colony, the number of cats that died or otherwise ceased being
a part of the colony during the year, the number of kittens born to
colony cats and their disposition and the number of cats and kittens
placed in permanent homes as companion cats;
D.
Sponsor shall obtain and maintain liability insurance in the minimum
amount of $500,000 for all activities, action and work performed pursuant
to this article and the laws of this state, naming the Township as
an additional named insured, providing an annual copy of the declaration
of insurance and proof of payment of same.
E.
Sponsor shall agree to forever defend, protect, indemnify and hold
harmless the Township, its officers, agents and employees from and
against any and all claims, causes of action, injuries, losses, damages,
expenses, fees and costs arising out of or which may arise out of
the creation and operation of the TNVR program.
Not later than December 31, 2023, the Township shall study the
effectiveness of the TNVR program and review the continuance of this
article. This article, however, shall continue as provided unless
and until specifically rescinded or amended.
