Borough of Upper Saddle River, NJ Cats

The agency or department of Upper Saddle River or any designated representative thereof charged with administering the issuance and/or revocation or permits and licenses under the provision of this article.

NEUTERED

Rendered permanently incapable of reproduction as certified by a licensed veterinarian.

OWNER

The proprietorship of a cat shall include every person having a right of property or custody of such cat and every person who has such cat in his/her keeping or who harbors or maintains a cat or knowingly permits a cat to remain on or about any premises occupied by that person. Owners or those harboring stray cats on their property shall be responsible to abate such nuisances associated with the keeping, feeding or propagation of such cats, either on private or public property.

PERSON

Any individual, corporation, partnership, organization or institution commonly recognized by law as a unit.

§ 46-13 Rabies vaccination required.

Vaccination and license requirements. No person shall own, keep, harbor or maintain any cat over seven months of age within Upper Saddle River unless such cat is vaccinated and licensed. The provisions of this section do not apply to cats held in a cattery or those held by a state- or federal-licensed research facility or a veterinary establishment where cats are received or kept for diagnostic, medical, surgical or other treatments or licensed animal shelters, pounds, kennels or pet shops.

Vaccination. All cats shall be vaccinated against rabies by a licensed veterinarian in accordance with the latest Compendium of Animal Rabies Vaccines and Recommendations for Immunization, published by the National Association of State Public Health Veterinarians, except as provided for in Subsection D.

Vaccination certificate. A certificate of vaccination shall be issued to the owner of each animal vaccinated on a form recommended by the state.

Exemptions. Any cat may be exempted from the requirements of such vaccination for a specified period of time by the local Board of Health, upon presentation of a veterinarian's certificate stating that because of an infirmity or other physical condition or regimen of therapy, the inoculation of such cat shall be deemed inadvisable.

§ 46-14 License required; restrictions; application.

Cats must have license number displayed. Any person who shall own, keep or harbor a cat of licensing age shall annually apply for and procure from the Clerk of the municipality, or other official designated by the governing body thereof to license cats in the municipality in which he/she resides, a license and official registration tag with a license number or a registration sleeve for each cat so owned, kept or harbored and shall place upon such cat a collar or other device with the license number securely fastened or displayed thereto. Acceptable methods of displaying the license number shall include, but are not limited to, break-away or elastic collars. License tags or sleeves are not transferable. If a cat is tattooed with the owner's social security number plus a letter or letters uniquely identifying such cat and such identifying tattoo is listed on the license application, then no license number need be displayed.

Time for applying for license. The owner of any newly acquired cat of licensing age or of any cat which attains licensing age shall make an application for a license tag or sleeve for such cat within 10 days after such acquisition or age attainment. This requirement will not apply to a nonresident keeping a cat within Upper Saddle River for no longer than 60 days.

Cats brought into jurisdiction.

(1)

Any person who shall bring or cause to be brought into Upper Saddle River any cat licensed in another state for the current year and bearing a registration tag or sleeve and who shall keep the same or permit the same to be kept within Upper Saddle River for a period or more than 60 days shall immediately apply for a license and registration tag or sleeve for each such cat.

(2)

Any person who shall bring or cause to be brought into Upper Saddle River any unlicensed cat and who shall keep the same or permit the same to be kept within Upper Saddle River for a period of more than 10 days shall immediately apply for a license and registration tag or sleeve for each such cat.

Application contents and preservation of information. The application shall state the breed, sex, age, color and markings of the cat for which the license and registration are sought and whether it is of a long- or short-haired variety; also, the name, street and post office address of the owner and the person who shall keep or harbor such cat. The information on said application and the registration number issued for the cat shall be preserved for a period of three years by the Clerk or other local official designated to license cats in the municipality.

License forms and tags. License forms and official tags or sleeves shall be furnished by the municipality and shall be numbered serially and shall bear the issuance and the name of the municipality.

Evidence of inoculation with rabies vaccine or certification of exemption; requirement for license. No Municipal Clerk or other official designated by the governing body of any municipality to license cats therein shall grant any such license and official registration tag or sleeve for any cat, unless the owner thereof provides evidence that the cat to be licensed and registered has been inoculated with a rabies vaccine of a type approved by and administered in accordance with the recommendations of the United States Department of Agriculture and the United States Department of Human Services or has been certified exempt as provided by § 46-13 of this article. The rabies inoculation shall be administered by a duly licensed veterinarian or by such other veterinarian permitted by law to do the same.

Sick or diseased cats. Any cat showing a change in disposition or illness or any cat that bites or scratches another animal or human may be required by the Health Officer, animal control officer or designated agent to be quarantined for a period of 10 days. Owners or those harboring cats evidencing a change in disposition or illness may be required to have such animal analyzed by an approved veterinarian. Any cost incurred in quarantining such animal or veterinary service examination shall be paid for by the owner or harborer of such cat or cats.

License fee schedule. A license shall be issued after the payment of a fee of $8 for each unneutered cat and $5 for each neutered cat. Persons who fail to obtain a license by February 15 of each calendar year will be subject to a delinquent fee of $5.

Fees; renewals; expiration date of license.

(1)

A license from another municipality shall be accepted. The person applying for the license and registration tag and/or sleeve shall pay the fee fixed or authorized. The fee for the renewal of license and registration tag or sleeve shall be the same as for the original, and said license, registration tag or sleeve and renewal thereof shall expire on December 31 in the following year.

(2)

Only one license and registration tag or sleeve shall be required in the licensing year for any cat in Upper Saddle River. Any valid New Jersey license tag or sleeve issued by a New Jersey municipality shall be accepted by this municipality as evidence of compliance.

Proof of licensing. Proof of licensing shall be produced by any person owning, keeping, maintaining or harboring a cat, upon the request of any health official, police officer, animal control officer or other authorized person.

Interfering with persons performing duties under this article. No person shall hinder, molest or interfere with anyone authorized or empowered to perform any duty under this article.

Disposition of fees collected. License fees and other moneys collected or received under the provisions of this article shall be forwarded to the Treasurer of the municipality and shall be placed in a special account separate from any of the other accounts of the municipality and shall be used for the following purposes only: for the collecting, keeping and disposing of cats liable to seizure; for local prevention and control of rabies; for providing antirabies treatment under the direction of the local Board of Health for any person known or suspected to have been exposed to rabies; and for administering the provisions of this article. Any unexpected balance remaining in such special account shall be retained 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 municipality any amount then in such account which is in excess of the total amount paid into the special account during the last two fiscal years next preceding.

§ 46-15 Violations and penalties.

Except as otherwise provided in this article, any person who violates or who fails or refuses to comply with this article shall be liable to a penalty of $100 for each offense.