ORDINANCES FOR SECOND READING
ORDINANCE NO. 2484
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER VIII, SECTION 8 OF THE CODE
OF THE BOROUGH OF ROSELLE PARK INSERTING LANGUAGE BANNING
THE SALE OF DOGS AND CATS FROM PET SHOPS THAT COME FROM
PUPPY MILLS AND KITTEN MILLS; SPECIFICALLY TITLED, “SALE OF DOGS
AND CATS FROM ANIMAL MILLS PROHIBITED”
WHEREAS, a significant number of puppies and kittens sold at pet shops come from large-scale,
commercial breading facilities where the health and welfare of the animals are not adequately provided
for by the “puppy mills” and “kitten mills,” respectfully. According to The Humane Society of the
United States, it is estimated that 10,000 puppy mills produce more than 2,400,000 puppies a year in the
United States and that most pet shop dogs and cats come from puppy mills and kitten mills, and
WHEREAS, the documented abuses endemic to puppy and kitten mills include over-breeding;
inbreeding; minimal to non-existent veterinary care; lack of adequate and nutritious food, water, and
shelter; lack of socialization; lack of adequate space; and lack of adequate exercise; and
WHEREAS, the inhumane conditions in puppy and kitten mill facilities lead to health and
behavioral issues in the animals bred in those facilities, which many consumers are unaware of when
purchasing animals from pet shops due to both lack of education on the issue and misleading tactics of pet
shops in some cases. These health and behavioral issues, which may not present themselves until sometime after the purchase of the animals, can impose exorbitant and emotional costs on the consumers; and
WHEREAS, current Federal and State regulations do not adequately address the sale of puppy
and kitten mill dogs and cats in pet shops, and
WHEREAS, restricting the retail sale of puppies and kittens to only those that are sourced from
shelters or rescue organizations is likely to decrease the demand for puppies and kittens bred in puppy and
kitten mills, and is likely to increase demand for animals from animal shelters and rescue organizations;
and
WHEREAS, the New Jersey Department of health in its 2014 Animal Intake and Disposition
Survey has found that due in large part to pet overpopulation, more than 16,000 dogs and cats are
euthanized in New Jersey animal shelters annually, including nearly 300 in the County of Union.
Restricting the retail sale of puppies and kittens to only those that are sourced from animal shelters and
rescue organizations will likely reduce pet overpopulation and thus the burden on such agencies and
financial costs on local taxpayers; and
WHEREAS, across the country, thousands of independent pet shops as well as large chains
operate profitably with a business model focused on the sale of pet services and supplies and not on the
sale of dogs and cats. Many of these shops collaborate with local animal shelters and rescue
organizations to offer space and support for showcasing adoptable homeless pets on their premises; and
WHEREAS, this Ordinance will not affect a consumer’s ability to obtain a dog or cat of his or her
choice directly from a breed-specific rescue organization or a shelter, or from a hobby breeder where the
consumer can see directly the conditions in which the dogs or cats are bred, or can confer directly with the
hobby breeder concerning those conditions; and
WHEREAS, the Mayor and Borough Council believe it is in the best interest of the Borough of
Roselle Park to adopt reasonable regulations to reduce costs to the Borough and its residents, protect the
citizens of the Borough of Roselle Park who may purchase dogs and/or cats from a pet shop or other
business establishment, help prevent inhumane breeding conditions, promote community awareness of
animal welfare, and foster a more humane environment in the Borough of Roselle Park.

 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED by the Mayor and Borough Council of the Borough of
Roselle Park, County of Union, State of New Jersey, as follows:
SECTION 1. Definitions.
“Animal care facility” means an animal control center or animal shelter, maintained by or under
contract with any state, county, or municipality, whose stated mission and practice is, in whole or
significant part, the rescue and placement of animals in permanent homes or rescue organizations.
“Animal rescue organization” means any non-profit organization which has tax-exempt status
under Section 501(c)(3) of the United States Internal Revenue Code, whose mission and practice is, in
whole or in significant part, the rescue and placement of animals in permanent homes.
“Cat” means a member of the species of domestic cat, Felis catus.
“Dog” means a member of the species of domestic dog, Canis familiaris.
“Offer for sale” means to sell, to offer to sell or adopt, advertise for the sale of, barter, auction,
give away, or otherwise dispose of a dog or cat.
“Pet shop” means a retail establishment where dogs and cats are sold, exchanged, bartered, or
offered for sale as pet animals to the general public at retail. Such definition shall not include an animal
care facility or animal rescue organization, as defined.
SECTION 2. Restrictions on the sale of animals.
(1)
A pet shop may offer for sale only those dogs and cats that the pet shop has obtained
from or displays in cooperation with:
(a) An animal care facility; or
(b) An animal rescue organization.
(2)

A pet shop shall not offer for sale a dog or cat that is younger than eight (8) weeks old.

SECTION 3. Enforcement.
Upon adoption of this Ordinance, enforcement authority is delegated to the Roselle Park Police
Department, Roselle Park Deputy Code Officer and/or the Roselle Park Animal Control Authority or
Animal Control Officer
SECTION 4. Violations and Penalties.
Any person violating any provision of this section shall be liable to the penalty stated in Chapter
I, Section 1-5.
SECTION 5. Record Keeping
A pet shop shall maintain records stating the name and address of the animal care facility or
animal rescue organization that each cat or dog was obtained from for at least two years following the
date of acquisition. Such records shall be made available, immediately upon request, to Borough Police
Department, Roselle Park Deputy Code Officer, and/or the Roselle Park Animal Control Authority or
Animal Control Officer and submitted annually, and no later than May 1 of each year, to the Borough

 Clerk’s Office. Each pet shop shall display on each cage a label stating the name and address of the
animal care facility or animal rescue organization of each animal kept in the cage.
SECTION 6. Invalidity
If any section or portion of a section of this Code shall be invalid for any reason, such invalidity
shall not affect the validity of the remaining sections or portions of this Ordinance.
SECTION 7. Inconsistent Ordinances Repealed.
All ordinances or parts of ordinances, to the extent that they are inconsistent herewith, are hereby
repealed.
SECTION 8. Captions.
Captions contained in this Ordinance have been included only for the purpose of facilitating
reference to the various sections and are not intended and shall not be utilized to construe the intent and
meaning of the text of any section.
SECTION. 9: Effective Date.
This amendment to the Code of the Borough of Roselle Park shall become effective upon
publication and in accordance with law.
ORDINANCE NO. 2485
AN ORDINANCE OF THE BOROUGH OF ROSELLE PARK CREATING
AND IMPLEMENTING CHAPTER X OF THE BOROUGH OF
ROSELLE PARK HEALTH CODE ENTITLED “GREASE TRAPS”
BE IT ORDAINED by the Mayor and Council of the Borough of Roselle Park, County of Union,
and State of New Jersey that Chapter 10 of the Borough of Roselle Park Health Code be created and
implemented to read as follows:
SECTION 1. Purpose.
The purpose of this section is to control discharges into the public sewerage collection system and
wastewater treatment plan that interfere with the operations of the system, cause blockage and plugging of
pipelines, interfere with normal operation of pumps and their controls, and contribute waste of a strength
or form that either causes treatment difficulties or is beyond the treatment capability of the wastewater
treatment plant.
SECTION 2. Definitions.