[Adopted 12-11-1974 as Ch. 65 of the 1974 Code]
A. 
Terms defined. The words hereinafter defined shall have the meanings herein indicated for the purposes of this Article as follows:
DOG
Any dog, bitch or spayed bitch.
DOG OF LICENSING AGE
Any dog which has attained the age of seven months or which possesses a set of permanent teeth.
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.
LEASH
Any leash, rope, chain, strap or other such restraining device.
OWNER
When applied to the proprietorship of a dog, every person having a right of property in such dog and every person who has such dog in his keeping.
PERSON
An individual, firm, partnership, corporation or association of persons.
PET SHOP
Any room or group of rooms, cage or exhibition pen, not part of a kennel, wherein dogs for sale are kept or displayed.
POUND
An establishment for the confinement of dogs seized either under the provisions of this Article or otherwise.
SHELTER
Any establishment where dogs are received, housed and distributed without charge.
TOWNSHIP
The Township of Waterford in the County of Camden.
B. 
Word usage.
(1) 
The words "and" and "or" may be used interchangeably and either of the two may be applicable, whichever is more conducive towards the effectuating of this Article.
(2) 
Personal pronouns shall mean either the singular or the plural, whichever is applicable and conducive towards the effectuating of this Article.
(3) 
The masculine, feminine or the neuter gender shall be implied, whichever is appropriate and conducive for the effectuating of this Article.
No person shall keep or harbor any dog within the Township of Waterford in the County of Camden without first obtaining a license therefor, to be issued by the Clerk of the Township upon application by the owner and payment of the prescribed fee, and no person shall keep or harbor any dog in said Township except in compliance with the provisions of this Article.
[Amended 12-11-1996 by Ord. No. 96-24]
Any person who shall own, keep or harbor a dog of licensing age shall on the last day of January in each year, and annually thereafter, apply for and procure from the Clerk of the Township 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.
[Amended 12-22-1976 by Ord. No. 76-7; 11-25-1981 by Ord. No. 81-12; 12-11-1996 by Ord. No. 96-24]
A. 
Every person who shall own, keep or harbor any dog or dogs, either male or female, within the boundaries of the Township of Waterford, shall, before the 31st day of January of each year, pay to the Township Clerk for licensing each dog the sum as set forth in the Township Fee Schedule Ordinance,[1]and, in addition thereto, shall also pay the sum for a registration tag, plus a surcharge for the State of New Jersey PILOT Clinic Fund for a total as set forth in the Township Fee Schedule Ordinance. Additionally, for any dog of reproduction age which has not had its reproductive capacity permanently altered through sterilization, there shall be an additional surcharge as set forth in the Township Fee Schedule Ordinance, to be paid to the State of New Jersey PILOT Clinic Fund. All such fees shall be paid annually for the renewals of such licenses and registration tags. Any person who is required to but fails to obtain a renewal license on or before April 30 of each year shall pay, in addition to the fees prescribed by this section for such licenses or renewal, a late charge as set forth in the Township Fee Schedule Ordinance. Upon payment of the appropriate fees, the Township Clerk shall issue to the applicant a license tag for each such dog, the same to be securely fastened to the licensed dog by means of a collar or harness. Any person applying for the license and registration tag for a dog determined to be potentially dangerous pursuant to N.J.S.A. 4:19-17 et. seq. of the laws of the State of New Jersey shall pay an annual fee as set forth in the Township Fee Schedule Ordinance.[2]
[Amended 3-13-2013 by Ord. No. 2013-4]
[1]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 124, Fees.
[2]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 124, Fees.
B. 
Dogs used as guides for blind persons and commonly known as "Seeing Eye dogs," dogs used to assist handicapped persons and commonly known as "service dogs" or dogs used to assist deaf persons and commonly known as "hearing ear dogs" shall be licensed and registered as any other dog, except that the owner or keeper of such dog shall not be required to pay any fee therefor and shall be excluded from any other provisions of this Article.
License forms and uniform official metal registration tags designed by the State Department of Health shall be issued and shall be numbered serially and shall bear the year of issuance and the name of the Township of Waterford. The application shall state the breed, sex, age, color and markings of the dog for which license and registration are sought, and whether it is of a long-haired or short-haired variety; also the name, street and post office address of the owner and the person who shall keep or harbor such dog. The information on said application and the registration number issued for the dog shall be preserved for a period of three years by the Clerk of the Township. In addition, he shall forward similar information to said Department of Health.
The owner of any newly acquired dog of licensing age or of any dog which attains the licensing age shall make application for a license and registration tag for such dog within 10 days after such acquisition or age attainment.
A. 
Any person who shall bring or cause to be brought into the Township of Waterford in the County of Camden any dog licensed in another state for the current year and bearing a registration tag, and who shall keep the same or permit the same to be kept within the township for a period of more than 90 days, shall immediately apply for a license and registration tag for each such dog, unless such dog is licensed under § 94-10 of this Article.
B. 
Any person who shall bring or cause to be brought into the township any unlicensed dog and shall keep the same or permit the same to be kept within the township for a period of more than 10 days shall immediately apply for a license and registration tag for each such dog, unless such dog is licensed under § 94-10 of this Article.
No person, except an officer in the performance of his duties, shall remove a registration tag from the collar of any dog without the consent of the owner, nor shall any person attach a registration tag to a dog for which it was not issued.
A. 
No new licenses for kennels, pet shops, shelters or pounds shall be issued after the date of the adoption of this subsection. Those licenses existing at the time of the adoption of this subsection may be renewed in accordance with the provisions of this Article.
B. 
Any person who keeps or operates or proposes to establish a kennel, pet shop, shelter or pound shall apply to the Clerk of the township for a license entitling him to keep or operate such establishment.
C. 
The application shall describe the premises where the establishment is located or is proposed to be located and the purpose or purposes for which it is to be maintained and shall be accompanied by the written approval of the Health Officer of the Board of Health of the township, showing compliance with the local and state rules and regulations governing location of and sanitation at such establishments.
D. 
All licenses issued for a kennel, pet shop, shelter or pound shall state the purpose for which the establishment is maintained, and all such licenses shall expire on the last day of June of each year and be subject to revocation by the Township Committee on recommendations of the State Department of Health or the Board of Health of the township for failure to comply with the rules and regulations of the State Department of Health or the Board of Health of the township governing the same after the owner has been afforded a hearing by either the State Department of Health or the Board of Health of the Township.
[Amended 12-11-1996 by Ord. No. 96-24]
E. 
Any person holding such license shall not be required to secure individual licenses for dogs owned by such licensee and kept at such establishments. Such licenses shall not be transferable to another owner or different premises.
[Amended 12-11-1996 by Ord. No. 96-24; 3-13-2013 by Ord. No. 2013-4]
The annual license fee for a kennel for 10 dogs or less and for more than 10 dogs shall be as set forth in the Township Fee Schedule Ordinance.[1] The annual license fee for a pet shop shall be as set forth in the Township Fee Schedule Ordinance.[2] No fee shall be charged for a shelter or pound.
[1]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 124, Fees.
[2]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 124, Fees.
No dog kept in a kennel, pet shop, shelter or pound shall be permitted off such premises except on leash or in a crate or other safe control.
A. 
License fees and other moneys collected or received under the provisions of this Article, except registration tag fees, shall be forwarded to the Treasurer of the Township within 30 days after collection or receipt and shall be placed in a special account separate from any of the other accounts of the Township and which shall be used for the following purposes only: for collecting, keeping and disposing of dogs liable to seizure under this Article; for local prevention and control of rabies, and providing antirabic treatment under the direction of the Local Board of Health for any person known or suspected to have been exposed to rabies; for all other purposes prescribed by the statutes of New Jersey governing the subject; and for administering the provisions of this Article.
B. 
Any unexpended balance remaining in such special account shall be retained therein until the end of the third fiscal year following and may be used for any of the purposes set forth in this section. At the end of said third fiscal year following and at the end of each fiscal year thereafter, there shall be transferred from such special account to the general funds of the Township any amount then in such account which is in excess of the total amount paid into said special account during the last two fiscal years next preceding.
C. 
The registration tag fee for each dog shall be forwarded within 30 days after collection by the Clerk to the State Department of Health.
[Amended 12-11-1996 by Ord. No. 96-24]
[Amended 12-11-1996 by Ord. No. 96-24]
The official appointed by the Township Committee shall annually cause a canvass to be made of all dogs owned, kept or harbored within the township and shall report on or before September 1 of each year to the Clerk of the township, the Board of Health of the township and to the State Department of Health the results thereof, setting forth in separate columns the names and addresses of persons owning, keeping or harboring such dogs, the number of licensed dogs owned, kept or harbored by each of said persons, together with the registration numbers of each of said dogs, and the number of unlicensed dogs owned, kept or harbored by each of said persons, together with a complete description of each of said unlicensed dogs.
The Chief of Police of the Township of Waterford shall cause the provisions of this Article to be enforced as therein provided. If it so desires, the Township Committee shall have the power to appoint one or more persons, to be known as "animal control officers," who may impound unlicensed dogs running at large in violation of the provisions of this Article.
[1]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code; see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I.
A. 
The Chief of Police of the Township of Waterford, or any person appointed for the purpose by the Township Committee of the Township of Waterford, 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]
(1) 
Any dog off the premises of the owner or of the person keeping or harboring said dog, without a leash and not accompanied by the owner or any person authorized by the owner, which said official or his agent or agents have reason to believe is a stray dog.
(2) 
Any dog off the premises of the owner or the person keeping or harboring said dog without a current registration tag on his collar.
(3) 
Any female dog in season off the premises of the owner or of the person keeping or harboring said dog.
[1]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code; see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I.
B. 
If any dog so seized wears a collar or harness having inscribed thereon or attached thereto the name and address of any person on a registration tag or the owner or the person keeping or harboring said dog is known, the Chief of Police or any person authorized by him in that behalf or the Poundmaster, if there is one, shall forthwith serve on the person whose address is given on the collar or on the owner or the person keeping or harboring said dog, if known, a notice, in writing, stating that the dog 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.[2]
[2]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code; see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I.
C. 
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.
D. 
When any dog so seized has been detained for seven days after notice, when notice can be given as above set forth, or has been detained for seven days after seizure, when notice has not been and cannot be given as above set forth, and if the owner or person keeping or harboring said dog has not claimed said dog and paid a redemption fee, plus a daily maintenance fee, if any, per day, as set forth in the Township Fee Schedule Ordinance,[3] and if the dog is unlicensed at the time of seizure and the owner or person keeping or harboring said dog has not produced a license and registration tag for said dog, the Chief of Police or the Poundmaster may cause the dog to be destroyed in a manner causing as little pain as possible.
[Amended 12-11-1996 by Ord. No. 96-24]
[3]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 124, Fees.
Any officer or agent authorized or empowered to perform any duty under this article is hereby authorized to go upon any premises to seize for impounding any dog or dogs which he may lawfully seize and impound when such officer or agent is in immediate pursuit of such dog or dogs, except upon the premises of the owner of the dog if said owner is present and forbids the same.
No person owning, keeping or harboring any dog shall suffer or permit it to run at large upon the public streets or in any public park or in any public building or in any other public place within the Township of Waterford in the County of Camden.
No person owning, keeping or harboring any dog shall suffer or permit it to be upon the public streets or in any of the public places of the Township of Waterford unless such dog is accompanied by a person and is securely confined and controlled by an adequate leash not more than six feet long.
[Amended 2-22-2017 by Ord. No. 2017-5]
A. 
Muzzling. The Township Committee may designate any time during which dogs outside the premises shall be muzzled, such designation to be by publication at least three times in a newspaper in which legal notices of the Township may be published, and after such publication no person owning, keeping or harboring a dog shall permit it upon a public highway, public place or outside the premises occupied by the owner during the period designated unless such dog wears a muzzle securely fastened over its jaws in such a manner that it cannot bite.
B. 
Care of animals. No owner, caretaker, guardian or handler shall withhold proper shelter, protection from weather, veterinary care and immune care to any animal. No owner, caretaker, guardian or handler shall fail to provide his or her animal with sufficient food and drinkable water on a daily basis. Food and drinkable water must be in an animal food consumption or water consumption type container, feeder or waterer.
C. 
Unnecessary suffering and cruelty. No animal shall be subjected to unnecessary suffering and cruelty such as subjecting the animal to prolonged fear, injury, pain or physical abuse. Interaction with humans and other animals shall not be unreasonably withheld. Any individual, currently licensed by the State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners to practice veterinary medicine, who is acting within his or her scope of practice to deliver acceptable and medically sound veterinary care to an animal shall be exempt from this subsection.
D. 
Extreme weather. In extreme weather below 32° and above 95° and in major storms where evacuation is recommended, all outdoor dogs and indoor/outdoor cats (with the exception of feral cats) must be brought indoors, whether tethered or kenneled, unless the kennel is a conditioned space where the animal is protected from this type of adverse weather. A conditioned space is an area that a person should reasonably know would not pose an adverse risk to the health or safety of the animal based on the animal's size, physical condition or thickness of the animal's hair or fur.
No person owning, keeping or harboring a dog shall permit or suffer it to do any injury or to do any damage or to commit any nuisance upon the property of others.
A dog which has attacked or bitten any human being or which habitually attacks other dogs or domestic animals is hereby defined to be vicious for the purpose of this section, unless the facts indicate that such attack or dog bite resulted from some act on the part of the person bitten or attacked which provoked the incident. It shall be the duty of the Chief of Police[1] or the Poundmaster to have a dog which has attacked or bitten a human being impounded if the owner thereof is unknown (or to quarantine such dog at the home of the owner, if known) for a period of 10 days. If the Chief of Police or the Poundmaster deems a dog to be vicious, it shall be his duty to prefer charges in the Municipal Court against the owner thereof, if known, alleging the vicious nature of the dog. If the Municipal Court Judge finds the evidence presented substantiates such charge, he shall order the dog destroyed by the Chief of Police or the Poundmaster at the end of the ten-day quarantine or impounded for an additional ten-day period, at the end of which the dog shall be examined by a licensed veterinarian who shall ascertain whether the dog is rabid and shall issue a certificate as to its condition to the Poundmaster.
[1]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 50, Police Department.
[Amended 12-11-1996 by Ord. No. 96-24; 2-22-2017 by Ord. No. 2017-5]
A. 
Any person who violates or who fails or refuses to comply with this article or with the rules and regulations promulgated by the State Department of Health governing the sanitary conduct and operation of kennels, pet shops, shelters and pounds to preserve sanitation therein and to prevent the spreading of rabies and other diseases of dogs within and from such establishments shall be liable to a penalty of not less than $5 nor more than $50.
B. 
For any violation of this article other than a kennel, shelter or pet shop, the penalty shall be assessed in accordance with § 1-15 of the Waterford Township Code unless a penalty is specifically stated otherwise for a particular violation.
C. 
Each and every violation of and nonconformance with this article or each day that any provision of this article shall have been violated shall be construed as a separate and distinct violation thereof.