[Adopted 11-16-1947]
Any person who shall own, keep or harbor a dog
of licensing age shall, before February 1 and annually thereafter,
apply for and procure from the Clerk of this municipality or other
official designated by the governing body thereof to license dogs
in this municipality a license and official metal registration tag
for each 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 12-9-1966 by Ord. No. 7-66; 12-18-1970 by Ord. No.
7-70; 11-19-1976 by Ord. No. 6-76; 10-15-1981 by Ord. No. 9-81; 10-21-1982 by Ord. No. 12-82; 9-15-1983 by Ord. No. 10-83]
A.
The person applying for the license and registration
tag shall pay the sum of $12 for such license; and for each annual
renewal, the fee for the license and for the registration tag shall
be the same as the original license and tag, and said license registration
and tag and renewal thereof shall expire on the first day of February
of each year.
[Amended 8-20-1987 by Ord. No. 9-87; 12-7-1989 by Ord. No.
14-89; 4-4-2007 by Ord. No. 09-2007]
B.
In addition to the fee charged herein, any person
applying for the license and registration tag shall pay a fee of $3
for any dog of reproductive age which has not had its reproductive
capacity permanently altered through sterilization or shall furnish
the Animal Control Officer, at the time of application for said license
and registration tag, with a certificate from a veterinarian licensed
in the State of New Jersey indicating said dog has had its reproductive
capacity permanently altered through sterilization.
C.
For any license not renewed in the month of January,
there shall be an additional late fee of $25 per dog.
[Amended 11-1-1984 by Ord. No. 8-84; 4-4-2007 by Ord. No. 09-2007; 5-6-2009 by Ord. No. 12-2009; 4-25-2012 by Ord. No. 8-2012]
[Amended 12-9-1966 by Ord. No. 7-66]
A.
The owner of any newly acquired dog of the licensing
age of seven months or more or of any dog which attains said licensing
age shall make application for the license and registration tag for
such dog within 10 days after such acquisition or age attainment.
B.
Any person who shall bring or cause to be brought
into the Township of West Amwell any dog licensed by any agency within
the State of New Jersey for the current year and bearing the registration
tag and shall keep the same or permit the same to be kept within the
Township of West Amwell for a period of more than 90 days shall immediately
apply for a license and registration for each such dog.
C.
Any person who shall bring or cause to be brought
into said Township of West Amwell from without the State of New Jersey
any unlicensed dog and shall keep the same or permit the same to be
kept within the Township of West Amwell for a period of more than
10 days shall immediately apply for a license and registration tag
for each such dog.
[Amended 12-9-1966 by Ord. No. 7-66; 11-19-1976 by Ord. No.
6-76; 10-15-1981 by Ord. No. 9-81]
A.
Any person who keeps or operates or proposes to establish
a kennel, pet shop, a shelter or a pound shall apply to the official
of said Township designated to license dogs in this Township, for
a license entitling him to keep or operate such establishment.
B.
The application shall describe the premises where
the establishment is to be located or proposed to be located, the
purpose or purposes for which it is to be maintained and shall be
accompanied by the written approval of the Board of Health of said
Township, showing compliance with the local and state rules and regulations
governing the location of and sanitation of such establishment.
C.
The annual license fee for a kennel providing the
accommodation for 10 or less dogs shall be $10 per year, for more
than 10 dogs, $25 per year. The annual license fee for a pet shop
shall be $10 per year. No fee shall be charged for a shelter or pound.
[Amended 5-3-1984 by Ord. No. 5-84]
D.
No dog kept in a kennel, pet shop, shelter or pound
shall be permitted off said premises, except on a leash or in a crate
or under safe control.
The license fees and other moneys so collected
shall be used for the local prevention and control of rabies, for
providing anti-rabies treatment under the direction of the Board of
Health of the Township of West Amwell, for any person known or suspected
to have been exposed to rabies and for the payment of damage for losses
of poultry and domestic animals, except dogs or cats, caused by a
dog or dogs and for the administering of the provisions of this article.
No dog shall be permitted off the premises of
the owner or the person keeping or harboring said dog, except on a
leash or in the company of the owner or person keeping or harboring
said dog.
[Amended 11-18-2009 by Ord. No. 26-2009]
No person shall permit any dog owned, harbored,
possessed or controlled by him to become an annoyance or interfere
with the comfort or general well-being of the inhabitants of the Township
of West Amwell. Such annoyance or interference shall include, but
shall not be limited to, barking, crying, whining, howling, causing
injury to person or property, or creating a condition hazardous to
safety and health and shall be deemed a public nuisance.
[Amended 5-3-1984 by Ord. No. 5-84; 11-1-1984 by Ord. No.
8-84; 5-18-2005 by Ord. No. 09-2005; 4-25-2012 by Ord. No.
8-2012]
[Amended 4-25-2012 by Ord. No. 8-2012]
This article is adopted pursuant to P.L. 1941,
c. 151 (N.J.S.A. 4:19-15.1 et seq.), and amendments and supplements
thereto.
[Added 5-3-1984 by Ord. No. 5-84]
A.
Any person appointed for the purpose by the Township
Committee shall take into custody and impound or cause to be taken
into custody and impounded and thereafter offered for adoption or
destroyed as provided in this section:
[Amended 5-18-2005 by Ord. No. 09-2005]
(1)
Any dog off the premises of the owner or of the person
keeping or harboring said dog, 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 of 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.
(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 dog 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 if the owner or the person keeping
or harboring said dog is known, the 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
dog, if known, a notice, in writing, stating that the dog has been
seized and will liable to be offered for adoption or destroyed if
not claimed within seven days after the service of the notice.
[Amended 5-18-2005 by Ord. No. 09-2005]
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.
Euthanization and adoption procedures.
[Amended 5-18-2005 by Ord. No. 09-2005]
(1)
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:
(a)
Notice is given as set forth above and the animal
remains unclaimed; or
(b)
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
(c)
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.
(2)
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.
(3)
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.
