Hardwick, New Jersey

§ 5-1.1 Definitions.

KENNEL, COMMERCIAL

Shall mean an establishment, licensed as a commercial kennel under this code (Chapter 5) wherein and whereupon the business of boarding or selling dogs or breeding dogs for sale is carried on, except that a pet shop or veterinary office (as defined in Chapter 5 of this code) where dogs of licensing age are kept or maintained for any reason in one place or establishment shall not be deemed a “commercial kennel”.

§ 5-1.3 License and Tag Required; Vaccination Required.

a. Any person who shall have owned, kept or harbored a dog of licensing age in the township on or before January 31, 1996, and annually thereafter, in accordance with an annual dog license or renewal thereof issued pursuant to the provisions of N.J.S.A. 4:19-15.1 to 4:19-15.23 (inclusive) and N.J.S.A. 4:19-15.27, as well as any amendments and supplements thereto, shall apply before and procure from the township clerk a license and official metal registration tag for such dog so owned, kept or harbored and shall place upon each such dog a collar or harness to which the registration tag shall be securely fastened.

b. Kennels (commercial or noncommercial), pet shops, veterinary offices, shelters or pounds.

1. Any person who keeps or operates or proposes to establish a kennel (commercial or noncommercial) shall apply to the township clerk to license dogs for a license entitling him/her to keep or operate such establishment. The township will not issue a municipal license for any person who does not meet the following criteria:

(a) Any kennel to be licensed hereunder shall be so located, constructed, arranged and/or operated in such manner that it is not a nuisance as to noise, odors or other actions to the neighborhood and further in such manner that the dogs maintained therein cannot come in contact with other dogs not owned or maintained by the owner of the kennel.

(b) The application shall set forth where the establishment is located or proposed to be located, which property where the establishment is or to be located shall be of at least six acres and the purpose(s) for which it is to be maintained. Such application shall be accompanied by the written approval of the Warren County Board of Health, the township zoning officer or other designated township official shall in compliance with local and state rules and regulations governing the location of and sanitation of such establishments, as well as compliance with this code.

2. All licenses for a kennel (commercial and noncommercial) shall state the purpose for which the establishment is maintained, and all such licenses will expire on the last day of January of each year. Said license shall be subject to nonrenewal only by the township committee, upon recommendation of the State Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) or the Warren County Board of Health or the township animal control officer or the township zoning officer, as applicable, with failure to comply with the rules and regulations of the applicable agency/board governing the same, after the owner has been afforded a hearing by the township committee.

3. Any person holding a commercial license shall not be required to secure individual licenses for dogs owned by such licensee and kept at such establishment. Such kennel license (commercial or noncommercial) shall not be transferable to another owner or to different premises of the same owner.

4. No dog in a kennel, pet shop, veterinary office, shelter or pound shall be permitted off such premises, except on a leash or in a cage or other safe control.

5. A person must be at least 18 years of age with a valid I.D. to be named as an owner or one of the owners of the property/location of the facility.

6. Neither the applicant nor any member of his/her immediate family may have been convicted of any form of animal cruelty.

7. No license shall be issued for any dog unless the owner applying for the license shall exhibit a licensed veterinarian’s certificate and the dog has been currently vaccinated against rabies pursuant to N.J.S.A. 4:19-15.2(a), as amended and supplemented, and that the rabies vaccine should extend throughout the period for which the license is being issued. The dog shall also be vaccinated against distemper and parvovirus.

8. All kennels located within the township shall comply with all provisions of N.J.A.C. 8:23A-1.1 et seq. as amended and supplemented from time to time, as well as other applicable statutes, rules and regulations.

§ 5-1.4 Fees.

a. The person applying for the license and registration, except for the noncommercial kennels, shall pay a fee of either ten ($10.00) dollars for a spayed and/or neutered dog(s), or thirteen ($13.00) dollars for a non-spayed and/or non-neutered dog(s), for a one-year license and a one-year registration for each dog. For each renewal, the fee for the license and registration tag shall be the same as the original license and tag, and such license/registration tags and renewals thereof shall expire on January 31 of the year following the year the license/registration was issued, consistent with the term of the license. In the event that said license and registration was applied for after March 1 of each year, an additional late fee of five ($5.00) dollars per month, per dog, will be charged. After April 1 of each year, the late fee shall increase to ($10.00) dollars per month, per dog. The noncommercial kennel license must be obtained before individual licenses/registrations can be issued. All dogs, irrespective of whether they are housed at a commercial or noncommercial kennel, are required to wear a tag.

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C. The annual license fees, including licensure/registration for each dog, are as follows:

1.