Whereas it is necessary to protect the health,
safety and welfare of the Borough residents by providing minimum standards
of performance for the keeping and handling of animals, the following
requirements are hereby enacted.
A. Prohibition of farm animals. It shall be unlawful
for the owner or occupant of any premises to keep any farm animals
including but not limited to cud-chewing or hoofed animals, chickens,
roosters and other fowl and pigs (including those bred as pets) in
the Borough.
B. Feeding of animals other than birds. It shall be unlawful
for any person to feed any animal, domestic or wild, on any property
within the Borough if it is causing an attracting nuisance to rats,
mice, flies, or other vermin.
C. Feeding of birds.
(1) It shall be unlawful to feed birds by placing food
directly on the ground.
(2) Birds must be fed in bird feeders, and feeders must
be at least five feet off the ground, must have a spill tray or be
spill resistant, and must be constructed to be resistant to the feeding
of rats, squirrels, and other nontarget species.
D. Keeping of pigeons. It shall be unlawful for anyone
to keep pigeons as pets, for food, for racing, for show, or for any
purpose, in outdoor cages or coops.
E. Feeding of stray or feral cats and dogs. It shall
be unlawful for any person to feed stray or feral unlicensed cats
and/or dogs within the Borough.
F. Slaughtering of animals. It shall be unlawful for
any person to slaughter any animal or fowl within the Borough.
G. Limit on small mammals as pets. No person shall keep
or raise a combination of more than 10 adult domestic rabbits, guinea
pigs, and other small mammals (excluding cats and dogs) on any premise
at one time.
H. Limit on exotic birds. No person shall keep or raise
more than 10 exotic birds.
I. Outdoor cages.
(1) Small animals may be kept in permanent outdoor cages
provided they meet the following requirements:
(a)
Animal cages must not be kept in an area that
is in plain view from any street or sidewalk. Temporary cages placed
outdoors for 12 hours or less are exempt from this requirement.
(b)
The cages must be kept clean and not create
a health nuisance including but not limited to odors, attracting nuisance
to rodents, flies, or other vermin, and noise.
(c)
Animal cages must not be within five feet of
adjoining property lines and 15 feet from a window or door of a dwelling
on an adjoining property.
(d)
Cages must be secure to prevent the escape of
the animals.
(2) These requirements are in addition to others that
may be mandated by the Bergenfield building and/or zoning regulations.
J. Prohibition of commercial breeding of animals. No
person shall breed, raise, or keep any species of animal for commercial
purposes on private property in the Borough of Bergenfield.
K. Prohibition on native wildlife as pets. The keeping
of wildlife native to the State of New Jersey is prohibited excluding
those persons who are licensed as wildlife rehabilitators by the New
Jersey Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Game.
L. Burial of pets. Pets may be buried on private property
provided that they are buried at such a depth as to prevent a public
health nuisance such as odors and flies.
M. Disposal of dead wildlife. It is the responsibility
of homeowners to properly dispose of dead wild animals and birds found
on their property. Proper disposal includes double bagging the animal
in a heavy gauge plastic garbage bag for collection by the DPW on
their regularly scheduled collection day, or burial on the premises.
N. Keeping of exotic wildlife as pets. Those persons
licensed by the Department of Environmental Protection to keep exotic
wildlife as pets considered dangerous by the Board to the health,
safety, and welfare of the citizens of Bergenfield may be subject
to special requirements to be determined by the Board of Health.
O. Pet cemeteries. There shall be no pet cemeteries on
private property in the Borough of Bergenfield.
P. Disturbance of the peace. It shall be illegal to own
posses or harbor any animal that frequently or for continued duration
makes sounds that create a noise disturbance across a residential
or commercial property line.
Q. Sale or distribution of live turtles. No live turtles
shall be sold for sale or distribution within the Borough of Bergenfield
for pets, except where the seller or distributor of turtles shall
warrant to the satisfaction of the State Department of Health that
each shipment of turtles is free from salmonella contamination.
R. Keeping of honey bees.
(1) There shall be a limit of five hives per property.
(2) Hives shall be situated on the property so that the
flight pattern of the bees provides the least disturbance to adjoining
property owners.
Wildlife rehabilitators must be currently licensed
by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and must
comply with the latest version of "Minimum Standards for Wildlife
Rehabilitation" published by the National Wildlife Rehabilitators
Association and the International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council.
A. Animal cages must not be within five feet of adjoining
property lines and/or within 15 feet from a window or door of a dwelling
on an adjoining property.
B. If the property has a rear yard, the cages must be
kept in the rear yard. In any case, the cages must not be in plain
view from any street or sidewalk.
C. Exotic wildlife rehabilitation is prohibited in the
Borough of Bergenfield Native species which are prohibited include
hoofed mammals, bears, wolves, mountain lions, bobcats, foxes, and
coyotes or other species that the Board may determine an unacceptable
risk to the health and safety of the residents.
D. The rehabilitation of any bird species is prohibited
in the Borough of Bergenfield.
E. Property where cages are kept must be fenced with
a locking gate or cages must be constructed to prevent an accidental
bite injury such as secondary wire mesh around the cage.
F. The cages must not constitute a health nuisance including
but not limited to odors, flies, attracting nuisance to rodents, and
excessive noise.
G. Wildlife rehabilitators must register with the local
health department prior to operating for approval and be subject to
at least one sanitary inspection by the Health Officer or registered
environmental health specialist per year.
The Bergenfield Health Department shall biannually
cause a canvass to be made of all dogs, cats, and ferrets owned, kept
or harbored within the Borough on or before September 1.