City of Paterson, NJ Article IV Fowl and Birds

[Adopted 12-18-1979 by Ord. No. 79-111 as Ch. 5, Art. 4, of the 1979 Revised General Ordinances of Paterson]

§ 121-35 Definitions.

As used in this article, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:

FOWL

Includes poultry or birds of any kind, edible or otherwise, wild or domestic, including any winged or flying birds or animals except canaries, parakeets and parrots.

§ 121-36 Keeping of live chickens and roosters prohibited; license required for other fowl; running at large prohibited; exemption.

A. The keeping of live chickens and roosters in the City is hereby prohibited.

B. No other live fowl shall be kept within the City without a license issued by the Health Division, as hereinafter set forth in this article.

C. No fowl shall be allowed to run at large in the City.

D. Exempt from the provisions of this section are business establishments which sell live fowl to the public.

§ 121-37 Term of license; fee.

A. Each license issued pursuant to the provisions of this article shall expire on December 31 in each year.

B. The fee for each license or renewal thereof is $15.

[Amended 12-27-1988 by Ord. No. 88-047]

C. Notwithstanding the above provisions, no licenses shall be issued from the effective date of this article through October 15, 1995, during which time the City of Paterson Division of Health shall conduct a study to assess the suitability of permanently banning all such licenses.

[Added 3-14-1995 by Ord. No. 95-015]

§ 121-38 Revocation of license.

Each license issued pursuant to the provisions of this article may be revoked by the Health Officer, after due notice and hearing, for violation of the provisions of this article or of any ordinance of the City or of any state or federal law applicable thereto.

§ 121-39 Sanitary enclosures; inspections.

All fowl shall be confined in a suitable enclosure which shall be kept in a clean and sanitary condition. All such enclosures shall be subject at all times to inspection by the inspectors of the Health Division.

§ 121-40 Poultry houses; exception.

A. With respect to poultry, all poultry houses shall have an enclosed runway. The coop and runway thereof shall be kept in a clean and sanitary condition and shall be subject at all times to inspection by the inspectors of the Health Division.

B. The provisions of § 121-39 and of Subsection A of this section shall not apply to any person regularly engaged in the business of dealing in fowl.

§ 121-41 Feeding of birds restricted; exceptions.

[Amended 11-9-2005 by Ord. No. 05-74]

A. The littering of private grounds for the purpose of feeding free and wild birds or the placing or causing to be placed or any food designed or intended for the purpose of feeding such birds in such a manner and in such quantity so as to create a hazard of rodent infestation so as to create any health hazard by so doing shall be prohibited.

B. Nothing contained herein shall be construed to prevent or prohibit the keeping of domestic pigeons in a place provided for their shelter or to prevent or prohibit the feeding of some birds or other varieties of birds not constituting a health hazard.

§ 121-42 Violations and penalties.

[Amended 12-19-1995 by Ord. No. 95-068]

Any person who violates any provision of this article shall, upon conviction thereof, be punished by a fine not exceeding $1,000, by imprisonment for a term not exceeding 90 days or by a period of community service for not more than 90 days, or any combination thereof. A separate offense shall be deemed committed on each day during or on which a violation occurs or continues.