It shall not be lawful for any persons within the limits of the Township of South Hackensack to own, keep, harbor or protect a dog, either male or female, without having the same registered and licensed in the manner provided by this article.
[Amended 12-21-1981; 9-11-1983; 5-2-1996 by Ord. No. 96-4; 12-19-1996 by Ord. No. 96-14]
There shall be an annual license fee as provided in Chapter 108, Fees, and an annual registration fee as provided in Chapter 108, Fees, for each dog. Moreover, pursuant to the Animal Population Control Program, there shall be an additional annual surcharge, as provided in Chapter 108, Fees, on all licenses issued for nonspayed and nonneutered dogs.
All dog licenses shall expire on January 31 of each year, and application for the renewal of licenses issued during the preceding year shall be made during the month of January of each year.
[Amended 12-19-1996 by Ord. No. 96-14]
Any person desiring to have a dog registered and licensed shall present to the Township Clerk of the Township of South Hackensack an application signed by the applicant, setting forth the following facts:
A. 
The kind of dog proposed to be registered.
B. 
The sex of the dog proposed to be registered.
C. 
The place where the dog is to be kept.
When such application is properly made, it shall be processed by the Animal Control Officer. The license certificate shall be numbered in accordance with the consecutive numbers of all such certificates and shall bear the same number as the dog registration tag. The said certificate shall be signed by the Animal Control Officer and countersigned by the Township Clerk.
By applying for license the applicant agrees:
A. 
That the dog proposed to be registered and licensed will be confined in the place designated in the application, or when not confined, that said dog will be kept in strict control of its master, by leash or confinement, and not be permitted at any time to run at large.
B. 
That should the dog proposed to be registered and licensed escape the complete control of its master or escape from the place said dog is to be kept as stated in the application, then the authorities of the said Township of South Hackensack may take up, impound, destroy or offer for adoption said registered and licensed dog, except as hereinafter provided.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code; see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I.
C. 
That the registration and license tag to be supplied with the certificate of registration and license will be securely fastened at all times to the neck of the dog described in the application and which may be registered and licensed, and that said license tag is not transferable and will be used on one (1) dog only.
D. 
That should said dog, being registered and licensed, be found at large within the township and taken to a place designated by the Township Committee, and notice thereof sent by letter to the registered owner or master as indicated by the license tag found on the dog when so impounded, said master or owner will redeem said dog from the place designated by the Township Committee within seven (7) days of the mailing of said notice and shall pay the applicable fee to the Animal Control Officer or his or her agent, and, in consideration of said payment, will resume the rights, privileges and obligations of the original registration and license; or, failing to redeem said dog from the place designated by the Township Committee within seven (7) days after the mailing of said notice, the said tag shall be taken up and the said registration and license shall become void, and said dog may be destroyed or offered for adoption in the same manner as any unregistered or unlicensed dog.[2]
[2]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code; see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I.
It shall be the duty of the Township Clerk to keep a permanent record in his or her office of all dog registration certificates issued, which record shall set forth all the important statements in the applications and the number of the said certificates and license checks or tags issued.
The Township Clerk shall have in charge the execution of all of the provisions of this Article and shall have control of the place designated by the Township Committee for the impoundment of dogs. The Township Committee shall assign a special officer appointed by the Township Committee for the purpose of the duty of Animal Control Officer, and the said Township Clerk shall give personal supervision to the execution of all the provisions of this Article.
It shall be the duty of the Animal Control Officer or the contract agency to catch and confine in the place designated by the Township Committee, all dogs, male or female, registered or not registered, licensed or unlicensed, which are found at large within the township and not in immediate control of a competent master.
After a licensed dog is caught and impounded, and provided its owner can be identified by a regular license tag on the dog, the Township Clerk shall immediately notify said owner or licensee by letter that said dog has been found at large contrary to the terms of said license and agreement in application therefor, and said Township Clerk shall give notice that said license will be void and said dog destroyed or offered for adoption if not redeemed from the pound within seven (7) days after date of said notice, by the payment of the applicable fee to the Animal Control Officer or his or her agent for the account of the township. The said payment of this fee shall entitle the said owner or licensee to a renewal of said original license and the possession of the impounded dog.
[1]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code; see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I.
The Animal Control Officer shall keep a permanent record of all licensed dogs found at large, showing the date found and impounded, date of notice to owner, date redeemed, if at all, and if not redeemed, the date said licensed dog was destroyed or sold. Receipts regularly numbered and countersigned in the same manner as original registration certificates shall be issued for all money paid to redeem dogs and renew licenses, and a careful account shall be kept of same under the direction of the Animal Control Officer.
The Animal Control Officer, by the direction of the Township Clerk, shall promptly destroy by humane methods or sell, as hereinafter provided, all dogs found at large within the township without a license or registration tag issued in accordance with the terms of this Article. The Animal Control Officer, by direction of the Township Clerk, shall destroy by humane methods or offer for adoption, as hereinafter provided, all licensed dogs found at large which are not redeemed according to § 82-10 hereof. The Animal Control Officer is hereby authorized, in his or her discretion, in lieu of the destruction of any dog as hereinbefore provided, to sell the same, to be delivered and kept without the boundary of the township, at such price as said Animal Control Officer may deem proper, the revenue so derived to be for the account of the Township and to be accounted for and reported to the Township Clerk the same as all other revenue is reported and as hereinafter provided.
[1]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code; see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I.
A. 
It shall be the duty of the Township Clerk to report to the Township Committee at its first regular meeting each month, in detail, as follows:
(1) 
The number of registration certificates and licenses issued the previous month and the amount collected therefor.
(2) 
The number of redemptions of licensed dogs from the place of impoundment and the amounts collected therefor.
(3) 
The number of dogs sold and the amount collected therefor.
(4) 
The number of arrests and prosecutions for not taking out registration certificates and licenses for dogs and the amount of fines collected therefor.
B. 
A remittance of the amounts collected in accordance with this article during the previous calendar month shall be sent to the custodian of the Township funds.
[Amended 12-19-1996 by Ord. No. 96-14; 2-14-2008 by Ord. No. 2008-02]
Any person violating the provisions of this article shall, upon conviction thereof, be punishable by a fine not exceeding $2,000, imprisonment for a term not exceeding 90 days, a period of community service not exceeding 90 days, or any combination thereof.