LICENSING DOGS AND CATS

New Jersey law states that all dogs must be licensed.(N.J.S.A. 4:19-15.2) Although the State does not require that cats be licensed, the Township of Montclair does require the licensing of cats. Dogs and cats must wear a collar or halter with the license tag securely fastened.

Dogs and cats must wear a collar or halter with the license tag securely fastened.

You can read the relevant sections of the Code of the Montclair by clicking here. Then click on Title 82: ANIMALS.

Licensing Is Important For Several Reasons:
n To control the spread of rabies.
n To ensure that persons who are bitten by a dog or cat can easily determine whether the animal has been inoculated with a rabies vaccine.
n To enable Animal Control to identify and immediately return animals running at large to their homes (if your dog or cat is unidentified, you risk losing that animal forever) See NOTE below for more. information on keeping cats safe.
n To generate fees that can be used for animal control in Montclair, and
n To contribute to the statewide Animal Population Control Fund which offers low-cost spay/neuter services for the dogs and cats of low-income residents of New Jersey and for any resident of New Jersey who adopts a dog or cat from a shelter. (A portion of the licensing fees for dogs that are not spayed or neutered goes to the statewide Fund).

The Case Against Licensing:

 

 

 

Some towns in NJ have limits on the number of animals that can be kept in a household. For this reason, many people are justifiably reluctant to license their animals out of fear that they may then have one or more of them removed by the town. It is for this reason that the State Department of Health has opposed limits on animals. It is the Department of Health's interest to see that all animals are vaccinated against rabies.

Recently Montclair considered an ordinance limiting the number of dogs to 5 in a one-family household and 2 in a multi-family dwelling. That ordinance was voted down. The Town Council had received written and oral testimony from local, state, and national groups stating strong reasons why limits should not be imposed.

Limits are arbitrary. One individual may be able to responsibly care for a number of animals, while another may be unable to care for one. Limit laws do not take into account the size of the animals, the size of the property, or whether there is even any problem at all. Animals could be removed merely because they exceed a number. There are already laws to deal with problems that may exist. There are health codes prohibiting unsanitary conditions, property rights laws, animal cruelty laws, vicious dog laws, noise laws and nuisance laws. These are each directed at a problem that needs to be solved; limits are not. At its July 12, 2005 meeting, the Montclair Town Council decided to set up a task force to come up with a plan to ensure that we have in place an intelligent and effective method of dealing with animal-related nuisance situations.

Obtaining A Licence
For A Dog Or Cat:

Licenses for Township dogs and cats are issued by the Montclair Health Department upon proof that a dog or cat is currently protected by a rabies vaccine. The Health Department offers free rabies shots several times each year. You can call the Health Department at 973- 509-4970 to get the dates and to request licensing forms.

Licensing Fees:

n   Spayed/Neutered dog $8.00
n   Non-spayed/Non-neutered dog $11.00
n   Spayed/Neutered cat $6.00 ( $3.00 for senior citizens)
n   Non-spayed/Non-neutered cat $9.00 ($6.00 for senior citizens)

To license more than one cat, the fee is $3.00 for each additional spayed/ neutered cat and $6.00 for each additional non-neutered/non-spayed cat

The Safe Cats Campaign:

 

 

It is recommended that cats be kept indoors at all times to ensure their safety. According to the Humane Society of the United States, owners often don't realize that allowing their cats to roam outdoors can be a one-way ticket to trouble. Even the cat who only occasionally ventures outdoors unsupervised can fall victim to automobiles, predators, disease, and other hazards. Even cats in "safe" suburban neighborhoods can meet untimely fates and never return home.

It is estimated that fewer than 5% of "found" cats taken in by animal shelters are reunited with their families. Many shelters, including PAWS, require potential adopters to commit to keeping their cats safely confined in the home. For more on the Humane Society's Safe Cats Campaign, visit the HSUS website at www.hsus.org. and type "safe cats campaign" in the search box. PLEASE keep your cat indoors.

 
HUMANEmontclair :: PO Box 43204 :: Upper Montclair, N.J. 07043