Fairfield, New Jersey (Essex County)

§ 5-3.1 Dog License and Registration Fees.

a. The sum to be paid annually for the registration and licensing of a dog, and each renewal thereof, shall be $18. Said fee shall be reduced to $15 provided the owner presents a certificate signed by a licensed veterinarian stating that the dog has been spayed or neutered.

b. All renewals shall be paid by March 31 annually. All renewals after March 31 shall include an additional $3 late fee.

c. Animal Population Control Fund (APCF). Owners issued licenses for nonspayed or nonneutered dogs of reproductive age are to be assessed a $3 fee. A dog of licensing age is considered to be of reproductive age. Owners presenting a statement signed by a veterinarian or a notarized statement signed personally certifying that their dog has been sterilized are exempt from the $3 fee.

d. For each license issued a $0.20 fee shall be assessed for the State Pilot Spay Neutering Clinic fee.

§ 5-3.2 Cat License and Registration Fees.

a. The sum to be paid annually for the registration of a cat and a license and each renewal thereof shall be $5 for the first cat provided the cat has been spayed and neutered and $3 for each additional cat. A surcharge of $3 shall be charged for those cats for which proof of alteration has not been provided.

§ 5-7.2 Definitions.

As used in this section:

KENNEL

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

§ 5-7.4 Licenses Required; Exemption for Individual Dogs.

a. No kennel, pet shop, shelter or pound shall be located, established or maintained within the Township unless the person who keeps or operates or proposes to establish such kennel, pet shop, shelter or pound shall obtain a license therefor. Application for the license shall be made to the Township Clerk on forms supplied by the Township Clerk.

b. Any person holding a license issued under subsection 5-7.4a of this section shall not be required to procure individual licenses for dogs owned by the licensee and kept at such establishment.

§ 5-7.5 Application for License.

The application for a license under this section 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 Zoning Officer and Health Officer of the Township, showing compliance with the State laws, ordinance of the Township and rules and regulations thereunder governing location of and sanitation at such establishments.

§ 5-7.6 Contents of License; Expiration; Revocation.

a. All licenses under this section for a kennel, pet shop, shelter or pound shall state the purpose for which the establishment is maintained and shall not be transferable to another owner or different premises. Such licenses shall expire on the last day of June of each year.

b. All such licenses shall be subject to revocation by the Health Officer on recommendation of the State Department or as a result of an unsatisfactory Township Health Department inspection for any failure to comply with the rules and regulations of the State Department of Health or of the Township Department of Health governing the same, after the licensee has been afforded a hearing by either the State or Township Department of Health.

§ 5-7.7 License Fees.

a. The annual license fee for a kennel providing accommodations for five or more dogs shall be $25.

§ 5-7.10 Posting of License; Applicability; License Nontransferable.

Any person to whom a license is issued under this section shall cause the same to be exhibited in a conspicuous place on the licensed premises. The license shall apply only to the person and to the particular place to whom and for which the same is granted and shall not be transferable.

§ 5-7.11 Right of Entry.

The Board of Health or its representatives shall at all times have the right of reasonable inspection over the premises licensed as herein provided, and in case the licensee, his agents or servants at any time refuse admission to the Board of Health or its representatives to the premises for the purpose of making an inspection thereof, the Health Officer may revoke such license, whereupon the right of the person so licensed to conduct and operate such kennel or pound shall immediately cease and terminate.

§ 5-7.12 Compliance with Orders; Revocation of License.

Upon investigation by the Fairfield Health Department representatives as herein provided, the Health Officer may, if in his/her judgment the public welfare so requires, order and direct such licensee to alter the premises to conform to such reasonable regulations as the Health Officer may prescribe, and upon the refusal of such licensee to comply with such regulations, such license may be revoked and the right of such licensee to conduct such kennel or pound shall thereupon cease and terminate.

§ 5-7.13 Number of Kennel Licenses Limited.

No new kennel license shall be granted or issued until such time as the number of kennel licenses issued and outstanding at any one time shall not exceed three. In the event that the number of kennel licenses issued and outstanding at any one time shall be fewer than three, only such number of additional kennel licenses may be issued as will cause the total number of kennel licenses issued and outstanding at any one time to equal three or fewer.

§ 5-7.14 Kennel Location and Sanitary Requirements.

a. No new kennel license shall be issued for any kennel on premises at which dogs are to be kept, harbored, maintained, exhibited or displayed, which premises are less than 400 feet from any residential district; provided, however, that the provisions of this subsection shall not prevent the issuance of renewals of kennel licenses on the effective date of this ordinance.

b. No kennel license shall be issued or renewed by the Township unless the premises wherein the dog or dogs are to be kept, harbored, maintained, exhibited or displayed comply with all the requirements of the rules and regulations of the State Board of Health and unless in the judgement of the Fairfield Board of Health, the premises are so located and constructed that dogs can be kept, raised or maintained in a sanitary manner without creating a nuisance and without disturbing the public peace and welfare.

§ 5-7.15 Violation and Penalties.

Any person who violates or fails or refuses to comply with these regulations and the rules and regulations promulgated by the State Department of Health pursuant to the provisions of N.J.S.A. 4:19-15.14, as amended and supplemented, shall be liable to a penalty of not less than $5 nor more than $50 for each offense, to be recovered by and in the name of the Township.