As used in this article, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
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.
KEEPER Any person exercising control over a dog or permitting a dog to remain on premises under his control.
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.
[Amended 10-21-2003]
OWNER When applied to the proprietorship of a dog shall mean and include every person having a right of property in such dog and every person who has such dog in his keeping.
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 under the provisions of this chapter or otherwise.
SHELTER Any establishment where dogs are received, housed and distributed.
[Amended 10-21-2003]
VICIOUS DOG As defined in N.J.S.A. 4:19-17 et seq.
[Amended 10-21-2003]
[Amended 10-21-2003]
The Township Committee shall annually appoint a person who shall cause a canvass to be made of all unlicensed dogs owned, kept or harbored within the limits of the Township and shall report to the Clerk, to the Board of Health 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 unlicensed dogs and the number of unlicensed dogs owned, kept or harbored by each person, together with a complete description of each unlicensed dog.
[Amended 9-1-1987 by Ord. No. G-273-87; 10-21-2003]
Vicious dogs shall be regulated as provided in N.J.S.A. 4:19-17 et seq.
[Amended 4-17-1979 by Ord. No. G-147-79; 4-6-1993; 10-21-2003]
A. Causes for impounding. The Police Chief or his agent shall take into custody and impound or cause to be taken into custody and impounded any of the following dogs:
(1) Any dog off the premises of the owner of or the person keeping or harboring such dog which the Police Chief or his agent has reason to believe is a stray dog.
(2) Any dog off the premises of the owner of or the person keeping or harboring such dog without a current registration tag on its collar.
(3) Any female dog in season off the premises of the owner of or the person keeping or harboring such dog.
(4) Any dog which has been determined to be a vicious dog as provided in §
113-6, provided that such dogs may also be seized by any police officer, and provided further that if such dogs cannot be seized with safety, they may be killed.
(5) Rabid or sick dogs, as provided in N.J.S.A. 4:19-15.16.
B. Access to premises. Any officer or agent authorized or empowered to perform any duty under this chapter is hereby authorized to go upon any premises to seize for impounding any dog which he may lawfully seize and impound when such officer is in immediate pursuit of such dog, except upon the premises of the owner of the dog if the owner is present and forbids the same.
C. Notice of seizure and redemption.
(1) If any dog so impounded or seized wears a registration tag, collar or harness having inscribed thereon or attached thereto the name and address of any person or the owner of or if the person keeping or harboring the dog is known, the Police Chief or his agent shall immediately serve on the person whose address is given on the collar or on the person owning, keeping or harboring the dog a notice, in writing, as required by N.J.S.A. 4:19-15.1 et seq.
(2) A notice under this subsection 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 mail 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.
(3) The owner of any dog taken or impounded may, at any time within seven days after notice or within seven days of the dog's detention, when notice has not been or cannot be given, redeem said dog by paying to the Health Department or a person so designated by it, the sum of $10.
(a) The Board of Health shall issue a certificate to the owner of the dog upon payment of the redemption fee authorizing the release of the dog from the place impounded.
(b) This section shall not be construed to prevent the making of a complaint by the proper authority for imposition of a penalty by the Municipal Court against the owner of the dog for any violation of this chapter nor the collection of any maintenance and detention charge.
D. Disposition of unclaimed dogs. The Police Chief or agent appointed by the Committee is authorized and empowered to cause the destruction of any unclaimed dog, in as humane a manner as possible, under the conditions as provided in N.J.S.A. 4:19-15.16.
[Amended 7-2-1976 by Ord. No. G-100-76; 10-3-1978 by Ord. No. G-132-78; 10-21-2003; 3-25-2008]
No person shall own, keep or harbor a dog in the Township except in compliance with the provisions of this chapter and the following regulations:
A. Wearing of registration. All dogs which are required by the provisions of this chapter to be licensed shall wear a collar or harness with the registration tag for such dog securely fastened thereto.
B. Use of registration tags. 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.
C. Interference with official duties. No person shall hinder, molest or interfere with anyone authorized or empowered to perform any duty under this chapter.
D. Disturbing the peace. No person shall own, keep, harbor or maintain any dog which habitually barks or cries between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m.
E. Running at large. No person owning, keeping or harboring any dog shall suffer or permit it to run at large upon all premises in the Township other than that of the owner or premises where the owner has permission to be with the dog.
[Amended 10-21-2003]
F. Leashing of dogs. 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 unless such dog is accompanied by a person over the age of 12 years and is securely confined and controlled by an adequate leash not more than six feet long.
G. Property damage. No person owning, keeping or harboring a dog shall permit or suffer it to do any injury or to do any damage to any lawn, shrubbery, flowers, grounds or property.
[Amended 10-21-2003]
Where it has been determined by a physician that a person has been bitten by a dog, the procedure as set forth in N.J.S.A. 26:4-78 shall be followed.
The Township Committee may, by proclamation, require all dogs and cats to be quarantined during such period in each year which may seem advisable to it.
[Amended 10-3-1978 by Ord. No. G-132-78; 6-13-2006; 3-25-2008]
A. It shall be the duty of the Police Department and the Health Department to enforce the provisions of this chapter.
B. The following fines are applicable for violations of sections of this chapter:
(1) Unlicensed dog; licensed dog involved in bite or attack:
(b) Unlicensed dog/or licensed dog involved in a bite or attack:
(2) Dog running at large or failure to use a leash.
(c) Third or subsequent offense: $200.
(3) Barking dog after permitted hours as set forth in Chapter
217.
(c) Third or subsequent offense: $200.
C. Any first offense under Subsection
B(1) through
(3) of this section of this chapter, other than Subsection
B(1)(b), does not require a court appearance to enter a guilty plea. All subsequent offenses require court appearance.