Woodbridge, New Jersey

§ 11-2.1 License and Registration Tag Required; Placing Tag on Dog; Inoculation Required.

a. Any person who shall own, keep or harbor a dog of licensing age in the Township shall, in the month of January in each year, apply for and procure from the Department of Health and Human Services a license and official metal registration tag for each such dog so owned, kept or harbored and shall place upon each such dog a collar or harness with the registration tag securely fastened thereto.

§ 11-2.5 Fees; Expiration Date of License.

a. License and Registration Tag Fees.

1. The person applying for the license and registration tag shall pay to the Department of Health and Human Services a fee for the licensing of each dog, as follows:

§ 11-4.3 License Required; Not Transferable.

a. Cats Must Have a License Number Displayed. Any person who shall own, keep, or harbor a cat of licensing age shall annually apply for and procure from, the licensing authority, a license and official registration tag with license numbers, or a registration sleeve for such 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 license number shall include, but are not limited to, breakaway or elastic collars. License tags or sleeves are not transferable.

§ 11-4.7 License Fee Schedule.

A license shall be issued after payment of a fee of thirteen ($13.00) dollars for each cat. If the cat is unaltered there shall be an additional fee of ten ($10.00) dollars. Persons who fail to obtain a license as required within the time period specified in this section will be subject to a delinquent fee of three ($3.00) dollars.

§ 11-6 KENNELS, PET SHOPS AND POUNDS. 

§ 11-6.1 Definitions.

KENNEL

Shall mean any establishment wherein or whereon the business of boarding or breeding dogs for sale is carried on, except a pet shop.

§ 11-6.2 License Required; License Application.

a. No person shall operate or maintain a kennel, pet shop, pound, shelter or grooming establishment without first obtaining a license.

b. The application for license shall describe the premises where the establishment is located or is proposed to be located and the purpose or purposes for which it is to be maintained and shall be accompanied by the written approval of the Department of Health and Human Services showing compliance with the local and State rules and regulations governing the location and sanitation of such establishments and the establishment shall be in compliance with this section. The application shall have annexed thereto blueprints of the building showing the site and plans of the premises and building and grounds.

§ 11-6.4 License Fees; Exemption for Shelter or Pound.

a. The annual license fee for a kennel, for-profit shelter or pound shall be two hundred twenty-five ($225.00) dollars.

§ 11-6.7 Individual Dog Licenses Not Required; Dogs Off Premises.

a. Any person holding a license under this section shall not be required to secure individual licenses for dogs owned by him and kept at such establishment; such licenses shall not be transferable to another owner or different premises.

b. No dog kept in a kennel, pet shop, shelter or pound shall be permitted off such premises, except on a leash or in a crate or other safe control.

§ 11-6.8 Standards of Operation.

No person shall operate or maintain such a kennel, pet shop, pound, shelter or grooming establishment except in accordance with the following standards and according to the following rules and regulations:

a. The size, location and sanitary facilities of secure enclosures and run areas connected thereto in kennels, pet shops and shelters shall be such that dogs and other animals cannot cause a nuisance.

b. Buildings used for kennels, pet shops, grooming establishments and shelters shall comply in all respects with the Building and Zoning Codes of the Township.

c. All secure enclosures shall be constructed of light-colored impervious, washable material. The floors of secure enclosures and run areas shall have a concrete steel-trowelled base or other smooth, impervious base approved by the Department of Health and Human Services and shall be pitched to provide proper subsurface septic system or sanitary sewer line, if available.

d. The buildings used for kennels, pet shops, pounds and shelters shall at all times have running hot and cold potable water, be maintained at a minimum temperature of fifty-five (55°F) degrees Fahrenheit; have facilities for washing and sanitizing utensils in a manner approved by the Department of Health and Human Services; have windows and doors to provide adequate ventilation and which are screened so that the premises are free from insects and foul odors.

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g. Supplies of food and bedding shall be stored in facilities which adequately protect such supplies against infestation or contamination by vermin and insects. Adequate refrigeration shall be provided for supplies of perishable food which will maintain a temperature not in excess of fifty (50°F) degrees Fahrenheit.

h. Provision shall be made for the removal and disposition of animal and food wastes, bedding and debris. Disposal facilities shall be so provided and operated as to minimize insect and vermin infestation, odors and disease hazards.

i. Premises (buildings and grounds) shall be kept clean and in good repair in order to protect the animals from injury and to facilitate the prescribed husbandry practices set forth in these rules and regulations. Premises shall remain free of accumulations of trash. Insects, ectoparasites and avian and mammalian pests shall be controlled effectively.

§ 11-6.9 Facilities; General.

a. Housing facilities for animals shall be structurally sound and shall be maintained in good repair, to protect the animals from injury, to contain the animals, to restrict the entrance of other animals; and location, construction, arrangement and operation shall not constitute a nuisance.

b. Reliable and adequate electric power, if required to comply with other provisions of these rules and regulations, and adequate potable water shall be available.

c. Supplies of food and bedding shall be stored in facilities which adequately protect against infestation or contamination by vermin. Refrigeration shall be provided for supplies of perishable food.

d. Provision shall be made for the removal and disposal of animal and food wastes, bedding, dead animals and debris. Disposal facilities shall be so provided and operated as to minimize vermin infestation, odors and disease hazards.

e. Facilities, such as washrooms, basins or sinks shall be provided to maintain cleanliness among animal caretakers.

f. Premises (buildings and grounds) shall be kept clean and in good repair in order to protect the animals from injury and to facilitate the prescribed husbandry practices set forth in these rules and regulations. Premises shall remain free of accumulations of trash. Insects, ectoparasites and avian and mammalian pests shall be controlled effectively.

§ 11-6.10 Facilities; Indoor.

a. Indoor animal facilities shall be provided for all pet shops, shelters and pounds. Kennels must also have indoor facilities, except for animals which are acclimated.

b. Indoor housing facilities for animals shall be sufficiently heated when necessary to protect the animals from cold and to provide for their health and comfort. In the case of dogs or cats, the ambient temperature shall not be allowed to fall below fifty (50°F) degrees Fahrenheit, unless the animals are acclimated to lower temperatures.

c. Indoor housing facilities for animals shall be adequately ventilated to provide for the health and comfort of the animals at all times. Such facilities shall be provided with fresh air either by means of windows, doors, vents or air conditioning and shall be ventilated so as to minimize drafts, odors and moisture condensation. Auxiliary ventilation, such as exhaust fans and vents or air conditioning, shall be provided when the ambient temperature is eighty-five (85°F) degrees Fahrenheit or higher.

d. Indoor housing facilities for animals shall have ample light, by natural or artificial means, or both, of good quality and well distributed. Such lighting shall provide uniformly-distributed illumination of sufficient light intensity to permit routine inspection and cleaning during the entire working period.

e. Primary enclosures shall be so placed as to protect the animals from excessive illumination.

f. The interior building surfaces of indoor housing facilities shall be constructed and maintained so that they are substantially impervious to moisture and may be readily cleaned.

g. A suitable method shall be provided to eliminate rapidly excess water from indoor housing facilities. Drains, when used, shall be properly constructed and kept in good repair to avoid foul odors therefrom. Closed drainage systems, when used, shall be equipped with traps and so installed as to prevent any backup of sewage into the floor of the room.

§ 11-6.12 Primary Enclosures.

a. A primary enclosure is any structure used to restrict an animal or animals to a limited amount of space, such as a room, pen, run, cage or compartment.

b. Primary enclosures shall be structurally sound and maintained in good repair so as to:

1. Contain the animals.

2. Protect animals from injury.

3. Keep predators out.

4. Enable animals to remain dry and clean.

5. Permit animals convenient access to food and water as required in these rules and regulations.

6. Provide sufficient space for each animal to turn about freely and to stand, sit and lie in a comfortable normal position.

c. In addition to the other provisions of this subsection, each dog in any primary enclosure shall be provided a minimum square footage of floor space equal to the mathematical square of the sum of the length of the dog in inches, as measured from the tip of its nose to the base of its tail, plus six (6) inches, expressed in square feet.

d. Animals housed in the same primary enclosure shall be maintained in compatible groups, with the following additional restrictions:

1. Females in season (estrus) shall not be housed in the primary enclosure with males, except for breeding purposes, unless otherwise requested by the owner.

2. Any animal exhibiting a vicious disposition shall be housed individually in a primary enclosure.

3. Immature animals shall not be housed in the same primary enclosure with adults other than their mothers, except when permanently maintained in breeding colonies.

§ 11-6.13 Feeding and Watering.

a. Animals shall be fed at least once each day except as otherwise might be required to provide adequate care.

b. The food shall be free from contamination, wholesome, palatable, and of sufficient quantity and nutritive value to meet the normal daily requirements for the condition and size of the animals.

c. Immature animals shall be fed in accordance with generally accepted procedures.

d. Containers of food shall be accessible to animals and shall be located so as to minimize contamination by excreta.

e. Feeding pans shall be durable and kept clean.

f. Disposable food receptacles may be used but must be discarded after each feeding.

g. Self-feeders may be used for the feeding of dry food and they shall be cleaned regularly to prevent molding, deterioration or caking of feed.

h. If potable water is not accessible to the animals at all times, potable water shall be offered to animals at least twice daily, for periods of not less than one (1) hour except as might otherwise be required to provide adequate care. Receptacles for such purposes shall be kept clean at all times.

§ 11-6.14 Sanitation.

a. Excreta shall be removed from primary enclosures as often as necessary to prevent contamination of the animals contained therein and to reduce disease hazards and odors. When a hosing or flushing method is used for cleaning, any animal contained therein shall be removed from such enclosures during the cleaning process, and adequate measures shall be taken to protect the animals in other such enclosures from being contaminated with water and other wastes.

b. Pet litter and/or bedding shall be changed as often as required to maintain good sanitary conditions but not less than once each day.

c. All pet cages shall be maintained in a clean and sanitary condition continually.

d. All pet cages and grids shall be cleaned with an appropriate disinfectant at least once each day.

e. Premises (buildings and grounds) shall be kept clean and in good repair in order to protect the animals from injury and disease, to facilitate the prescribed sanitary practices as set forth in these rules and regulations, and to prevent nuisances.

f. An effective program for the control of insects, ectoparasites, and avian and mammalian pests shall be established and maintained.

§ 11-6.15 Disease Control.

a. Programs of disease control and adequate health care shall be established and maintained under the supervision and assistance of a doctor of veterinary medicine.

b. Each animal shall be observed daily by the animal caretaker in charge or by someone under his direct supervision. Sick, diseased, injured, lame or blind animals shall be provided with veterinary care or humanely disposed of unless such action is inconsistent with the purposes for which such animal was obtained and is being held; provided, however, that this provision shall not affect compliance with N.J.S.A. 4:19-15.16, which requires the holding for seven (7) days of all stray dogs.

c. Any animal under quarantine or treatment for a communicable disease shall be separated from other animals in order to minimize dissemination of such disease.

d. Any person operating or employed at a kennel, pet shop, shelter or pound who observes an animal which he suspects of being rabid shall at once notify by telephone or other electronic means, or personally, the Executive Officer of the local Department of Health and Human Services or the State Department of Health and segregate such animal for a period of ten (10) days unless examined and released on the written statement of a veterinarian.

e. All employees of a kennel or pet shop shall be tutored by a licensed veterinarian of the State of New Jersey in the methods of proper examination of canines received by them, such tutoring program to involve a specific disease and defect detection system.

f. Within twenty-four (24) hours after receipt by a pet shop or a kennel, canines shall be examined by properly trained employees to determine any defects or disease.

g. A chart shall be maintained for each canine received by a pet shop or kennel indicating the examination conducted, the date thereof and the results of such examination and the chart shall be maintained for a period of at least one (1) year.

h. A fecal sample of each canine received by each pet shop or kennel shall be taken and a record of the examination thereof shall be indicated on the chart aforesaid.

i. Newly received canines shall be subjected to examination within twenty-four (24) hours after receipt and shall be separated into categories of acceptable health, questionable health and rejectionable health.

j. A licensed veterinarian of the State of New Jersey shall visit the pet shop or kennel premises at least once each week and will examine all canines received since the prior visit and record the facts of such examinations on the respective canine charts.

k. All canines placed in the preliminary examination within the questionable or the rejectionable health category shall be examined by a licensed veterinarian prior to sale.

l. All newly received canines shall be administered vaccines against and leptospirin, in addition to the rabies vaccine as required by law within one (1) day of receipt by a pet shop or kennel and a record thereof shall be placed upon the charts for the respective canines.