For the purposes of this article, the terms used herein are defined as follows:
ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICER
A certified municipal animal control officer or, in the absence of such an officer, the chief law enforcement officer of the municipality or their designee.
ANIMAL RESCUE ORGANIZATION
An individual or group of individuals who, with or without salary or compensation, house and care for homeless animals in the home of an individual or in other facilities, with the intent of placing the animals in responsible, more permanent homes as soon as possible.
ANIMAL RESCUE ORGANIZATION FACILITY
The home or other facility in which an animal rescue organization houses and cares for an animal.
AT LARGE
Off the property of the owner and not on a leash. This does not apply when a dog is confined within a vehicle.
DOG
Any canine or a canine hybrid.
DOG OF LICENSING AGE
Any dog which has attained the age of seven months. (N.J.S.A. 4:19-15.1)
DOMESTIC ANIMAL
Any cat, dog, or livestock.
FEED
To give, place, expose, deposit, distribute, or scatter any edible material with the intention of feeding, attracting, or enticing wildlife. Feeding does not include baiting in the legal taking of fish and/or game.
IMMEDIATELY
At once, without delay.
KENNEL
Any establishment wherein or whereupon the business of boarding or selling dogs or breeding dogs for sale is carried on, except for a pet shop (N.J.S.A. 4:19-15.1)
NEW JERSEY LICENSED ANIMAL FACILITY
An establishment for the confinement of dogs or other animals seized under the provisions of this article, state statutes or otherwise.
OWNER
When applied to proprietorship of a dog, every person having a right of propriety of such dog, and every person who has such dog or other animal in his keeping or under his control, whether or not the owner of such pet.
PERSON
Any individual, corporation, company, partnership, firm, association, or political subdivision of this state subject to municipal jurisdiction.
PET
Any dog (other than a trained service animal), cat, rodent, turtle, bird, fish or other animal kept for pleasure rather than for commercial purposes on the property of the owner.
PET WASTE MATERIAL
Waste material expelled from the bowels of the pet; excrement.
POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS OR VICIOUS DOG
A. 
POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS DOGAny dog or dog hybrid declared potentially dangerous by a municipal court pursuant to Section 7 of P.L. 1989, c. 307 (N.J.S.A. 4:19-23).
B. 
VICIOUS DOGAny dog or dog hybrid declared vicious by a municipal court pursuant to Section 6 of P.L. 1989, c. 307 (N.J.S.A. 4:19-22).
PROPERLY DISPOSE
Pet waste should be bagged and placed 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.
TRAINED SERVICE ANIMAL
An animal required because of a disability which has been trained to perform a specific task or work, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act.[1] The task must be directly related to the disability.
WILDLIFE
All animals that are neither human nor domesticated.
[1]
Editor's Note: See 42 U.S.C. § 12101 et seq.
Any person who shall own, keep or harbor a dog of licensing age shall, within 10 days after the acquisition thereof, and annually thereafter in the month of January, apply for and procure from the Borough Clerk a license and official metal registration tag for each such dog so owned, kept or harbored and shall place upon each such dog a collar or harness with the registration tag securely fastened thereto. Such license shall state the breed, sex, age, name, color and markings of the dog for which the license and registration are sought, whether it is of a long- or short-haired variety, and the name, street and post office address of the owner and the person who shall keep or harbor such dog.
A. 
Persons applying for a license shall pay a fee of $20 for each license (if the dog is spayed or neutered) or a fee of $23 for each license (if the dog is not spayed or neutered). All such licenses, registration tags and renewals shall expire on the last day of December in each year. Dogs used as guides for blind persons and commonly known as "Seeing Eye" dogs shall be licensed and registered as other dogs hereinabove provided for, except that the owner or keeper of such dog shall not be required to pay any fee therefor.
B. 
The owner of a potentially dangerous/vicious dog shall pay a special annual fee of $700 for a potentially dangerous/vicious dog license, in addition to, and on the same schedule as the fees indicated in Subsection A above.
C. 
Any person who shall own, keep or harbor a dog of licensing age which is found to be licensed after March 1 shall be required to pay a late charge of $10 in addition to the required license fee.
D. 
Newly acquired dogs must be licensed no later than 10 days after acquisition or of attaining licensing age.
The Animal Control Officer of the Borough may cause a canvass to be made of all dogs owned, kept or harbored within the Borough for the purpose of licensing enforcement.
A. 
No person owning, harboring, keeping or in charge of any dog shall permit or take such animal upon the lawn, yard, entranceway or driveway of any private property whatsoever without the consent of the property owner.
B. 
Dogs (except service animals) are prohibited from or in any municipal parks, playfields, playgrounds, play areas, school property or other municipal property, except public roads, unless authorized by the Borough.
C. 
Dogs (except service animals) are prohibited from any public eating place, and may only be permitted in non-eating establishments with the expressed permission of the store owner.
No person owning, harboring, keeping or in charge of any dog shall allow or permit such dog to go upon any public streets, or in any of the public places or semipublic areas of multi-dwelling complexes within the Borough unless such is accompanied by a person and is securely confined and controlled by an adequate physical leash which may not exceed six feet in length.
A. 
It shall be unlawful for any person owning, keeping, harboring or having the custody and possession of any dog, whether registered or not, to permit such dog to be at large within the Borough.
B. 
Dogs on their owner's property must be leashed or otherwise prohibited from leaving the property unattended.
The Borough Council is hereby authorized and empowered to appoint an Animal Control Officer in accordance with N.J.S.A. 4:19-15.16a et seq. and the rules promulgated thereunder. The Animal Control Officer shall have the full power and authority to carry out the provisions of this chapter. The Borough Council shall fix the compensation to be paid to such person or persons so appointed and shall pay the same out of the monies of the Borough.
A. 
The Animal Control Officer or Chief Law Enforcement Officer, or his or her designee, shall take into custody and impound or cause to be taken into custody and impounded, and thereafter destroyed or offered for adoption as provided in this section:
(1) 
Any dog off the premises of the owner or of the person keeping or harboring said dog which said official or their agent or agents have reason to believe is a stray dog;
(2) 
Any dog off the premises of the owner or of the person keeping or harboring said dog without a current registration tag on its collar;
(3) 
Any female dog in season off the premises of the owner or of the person keeping or harboring said dog;
(4) 
Any dog or other animal which is suspected to be rabid;
(5) 
Any dog or other animal off the premises of the owner reported to, or observed by, a certified animal control officer to be ill, injured or creating a threat to public health, safety or welfare, or otherwise interfering with the enjoyment of property.
B. 
If any animal so seized wears a collar or harness having inscribed thereon or attached thereto the name and address of any person or a registration tag, or the owner or the person keeping or harboring said animal is known, any person authorized by the governing body shall forthwith serve on the person whose address is given on the collar, or on the owner or the person keeping or harboring said animal, if known, a notice in writing stating that the animal has been seized and will be liable to be offered for adoption or destroyed if not claimed within seven days after the service of the notice. A notice under this section may be served either by delivering it to the person on whom it is to be served, or by leaving it at the person's usual or last known place of abode, or at the address given on the collar, or by forwarding it by post in a prepaid letter addressed to that person at his usual or last known place of abode, or to the address given on the collar.
C. 
Any person authorized by the governing body may cause an animal to be destroyed in a manner causing as little pain as possible and consistent with the provisions of N.J.S.A. 4:22-19 or to be offered for adoption seven days after seizure; provided that:
(1) 
Notice is given as set forth above and the animal remains unclaimed; or
(2) 
The owner or person keeping or harboring the animal has not claimed the animal and paid all expenses incurred by reason of its detention, including maintenance costs not exceeding $4 per day; or
(3) 
The owner or person keeping or harboring a dog which was unlicensed at the time of seizure does not produce a license and registration tag for the dog.
D. 
At the time of adoption, the right of ownership in the animal shall transfer to the new owner. No dog or other animal so caught and detained or procured, obtained, sent or brought to a pound or shelter shall be sold or otherwise made available for the purpose of experimentation. Any person who sells or otherwise makes available any such dog or other animal for the purpose of experimentation shall be guilty of a crime of the fourth degree.
E. 
After observation, any animal seized under this section suspected of being rabid shall be immediately reported to the executive officer of the local board of health and to the Department of Health and Senior Services.
A. 
The Animal Control Officer of the Borough shall be responsible for all dogs impounded or taken into custody under the provisions of this article or state statutes and shall designate the place where such dogs are to be impounded or held in custody.
B. 
Except for the issuance of dog licenses, which shall be done by the office of the Borough Clerk, this article shall be enforced by the Animal Control Officer of the Borough. However, nothing herein shall be deemed to prohibit any police officer of the Borough from enforcing any provisions hereof.
A. 
It shall be unlawful for any property owner or tenant to allow any domesticated or caged animal to create a sound across a real property line which unreasonably disturbs or interferes with the peace, comfort, and repose of any resident, or to refuse or intentionally fail to cease the unreasonable noise when ordered to do so by a Noise Control Officer or Noise Control Investigator. Prima facie evidence of a violation of this section shall include but not be limited to:
(1) 
Vocalizing (howling, yelping, barking, squawking, etc.) for five minutes without interruption, defined as an average of four or more vocalizations per minute in that period; or
(2) 
Vocalizing for 20 minutes intermittently, defined as an average of two vocalizations or more per minute in that period.
B. 
It is an affirmative defense under this subsection that the dog or other animal was intentionally provoked to bark or make any other noise.
No person owning, harboring, keeping or in charge of any dog shall allow or permit it to do any injury to any person or to do any damage to any lawn, shrubbery, flowers, garden, grounds or property of another person or to any public property.
A. 
Operating a commercial dog breeding, boarding or kennel or day-care type service is prohibited on any residential property.
B. 
Sale.
(1) 
The sale, or offer for sale, of dogs or cats in any commercial establishment in the Borough is prohibited.
(2) 
Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit a retail pet store or other commercial establishment from providing space to an animal rescue organization or an animal shelter to publicly showcase dogs or cats available for adoption.
(3) 
An animal rescue organization or animal shelter may offer dogs or cats for adoption at their facility.
(4) 
Animal rescue organization does not include any entity that breeds animals or that: 1) is located on the same premises as; 2) has any personnel in common with; 3) obtains, in exchange for payment or any other form of compensation, dogs or cats from; or 4) facilitates the sale of dogs or cats obtained from a person or establishment that breeds animals.
[Amended 1-18-2024 by Ord. No. 02-24]
A. 
The following penalties shall be imposed for any violation of Article I of Chapter 110:
(1) 
The fine for each unlicensed dog shall be $100.
(2) 
The fine for an unleashed dog or a dog at large shall be:
(a) 
One hundred dollars for first offense within a calendar year;
(b) 
One hundred fifty dollars for second offense within a calendar year;
(c) 
Two hundred dollars for third offense within a calendar year.
(3) 
For a fourth or subsequent offense within a calendar year, the penalty shall be as set forth in § 110-14.1B.
B. 
Unless another penalty is expressly provided herein, any person, firm or corporation violating this Article I shall be subject, upon conviction, to one or more of the following at the discretion of the court: a fine not to exceed $1,000 or imprisonment in the county jail for a term not to exceed 90 days or community service not to exceed 90 days. A separate offense shall be deemed committed on each day during or on which a violation occurs or continues.