A dog must wear a license and registration tag within 10 days of its new owner bringing it home. According to the New Jersey Department of Health, a license application requires proof that a canine has received a rabies vaccination.
Regardless of its breed, a dog may need periodic inoculations to maintain its license, which renews every three years. If an owner cannot vaccinate his or her dog because of its medical condition, he or she must provide a certification of exemption.
Quarantining a canine after a bite or an attack
As reported by NJ 101.5, the Garden State’s Title 4, Section 19 requires placing a dog in quarantine for 10 days after it bites or attacks a human or another animal. A veterinarian or an animal control official may then monitor the animal for signs of rabies.
Even if the canine appears healthy, it may have contracted contagious bacteria from biting a feral animal. Owners who do not allow their pets to undergo the required observation period may face civil and criminal charges.
Classifying an animal as potentially dangerous
According to Title 4:19-30, New Jersey officials may classify a dog as potentially dangerous if it has caused bodily harm as the result of an unprovoked attack. Owners must visually warn visitors of a potentially dangerous dog on their property and must keep it leashed when taking it out in public.
If a canine breaks loose and goes on an attack, its owner is strictly liable for injuries. Dog tags assist law enforcement officials in tracking down an owner who breached his or her duty of controlling a pet and allowed it to escape.