Wayne Animal Control
Animal Control Officers (ACOs) are available 24/7, 365 days a year.
Wayne Animal Control, a division of the Health Department, handles hundreds of animal-related complaints year-round, ranging from barking dogs, animal bites, raccoons in garages, bats in the house, suspected rabid animals, animal cruelty and everything in between.
If you have an animal-related issue, contact the Animal Control Office at 973-694-9295 or send an email.
If it is an emergency, contact the Wayne Police Department at 973-694-0600 and an ACO will be contacted immediately as we are available 24 hours a day.
The ACOs will take the appropriate action to rectify any issues or concerns and can counsel the resident as to their rights and possible course of action. All calls are kept confidential and you may remain anonymous.
Animal Control does not capture nuisance wildlife. Capture of nuisance wildlife (i.e., healthy appearing raccoons not threatening humans, fox dens, wildlife in attics, groundhogs burrowing in yards, etc.) is NOT a service required for Animal Control to provide. ACOs are able to educate residents on how to abate wildlife nuisances and refer them to pest control services and other agencies that can assist residents if needed. Nuisance wildlife issues are under the authority of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and ACOs require approval from the NJDEP, Division of Fish and Wildlife to handle nuisance wildlife.
Residents can contact F & W here: DEP Action Line-877-927-6337 or Wildlife Control - 908-735-8793
Animal Control provides the following (but not limited) to the Township of Wayne as well as many of the same services to their contracted towns:
*Impound stray or running at large (RAL) dogs to the Wayne Animal Shelter
*Investigate Animal Neglect and Cruelty complaints
*Rescue injured/sick stray domestic animals
*Capture, evaluate for injury/illness and transport stray domestic animals, as well as most wildlife, directly to a veterinary facility and/or wildlife rehabilitation center for treatment of injuries or illnesses
*Capture and remove suspected rabid wild or domestic animals threatening the safety and health of residents
*Enforce animal-related Township ordinances and State Statutes
*Daily Township patrol
*Assists multi agencies in urgent animal-related situations
*Investigates animal bites and handles quarantines when/if necessary
*Removal of DOA wildlife carcasses from Township public property (it is the homeowner’s responsibility to remove deceased wildlife from their own property)
*Removal of DOA domestic animals from private and public properties
*Rescue injured, abandoned and/or orphaned wildlife
*Capture Wildlife in “Living Area” of the home
*Capture Bats in “Living Area” of the home
*Educate the public on animal-related topics
*Canvass the Township for unlicensed dogs and cats and take enforcement action when necessary. All dogs and cats must be licensed annually. The licensing process allows for an effective rabies control program. Rabies is a fatal but preventable disease that affects warm-blooded mammals (including humans).
PET LICENSE INFORMATION:
The pet license renewal period begins the first business day of January and ends February 15th. Renewals after this period are subject to a $10.00 late fee per animal.
Proof of rabies vaccine must be submitted with each license application. Any rabies vaccine which expires before November 1st of the licensing year will require an updated vaccine prior to the issuance of the pet license. This is mandatory for both dogs and cats. All certificates received will be returned with the new license.
N.J.A.C 8:23A 4.1 Requirements for licensure
(a) Except as otherwise provided in N.J.A.C. 8:23A-4.3, no municipal clerk or other official designated to license dogs shall grant any such license and official metal registration tag for any dog unless the dog owner provides evidence that the dog to be licensed and registered has been inoculated against rabies with a vaccine having duration of immunity which extends throughout at least ten of the 12 months of the licensing period. Dogs with a duration of immunity against rabies that expires prior to the tenth month of the licensing period shall be revaccinated prior to issuance of a license.
Wayne Township offers free Rabies Vaccinations to all dogs and cats. The Township hosts a free rabies clinic in May and November at the Town Garage on Dey Road. Dogs and cats must be licensed once they have a current rabies vaccination.
For information on Animal Rescue, please read the article "How to Know When an Animal Needs to be Rescued".
For information on Animal Cruelty laws, refer to the Cruelty Laws, the Penalties for Various Acts Constituting Cruelty, and the Guide to Prevention of Animal Cruelty Laws.
If you have an animal-related issue, contact the Animal Control Office at 973-694-9295 or send an email.
If it is an emergency, contact the Wayne Police Department at 973-694-0600 and an ACO will be contacted immediately as we are available 24 hours a day.
The ACOs will take the appropriate action to rectify any issues or concerns and can counsel the resident as to their rights and possible course of action. All calls are kept confidential and you may remain anonymous.
Animal Control does not capture nuisance wildlife. Capture of nuisance wildlife (i.e., healthy appearing raccoons not threatening humans, fox dens, wildlife in attics, groundhogs burrowing in yards, etc.) is NOT a service required for Animal Control to provide. ACOs are able to educate residents on how to abate wildlife nuisances and refer them to pest control services and other agencies that can assist residents if needed. Nuisance wildlife issues are under the authority of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and ACOs require approval from the NJDEP, Division of Fish and Wildlife to handle nuisance wildlife.
Residents can contact F & W here: DEP Action Line-877-927-6337 or Wildlife Control - 908-735-8793
Animal Control provides the following (but not limited) to the Township of Wayne as well as many of the same services to their contracted towns:
*Impound stray or running at large (RAL) dogs to the Wayne Animal Shelter
*Investigate Animal Neglect and Cruelty complaints
*Rescue injured/sick stray domestic animals
*Capture, evaluate for injury/illness and transport stray domestic animals, as well as most wildlife, directly to a veterinary facility and/or wildlife rehabilitation center for treatment of injuries or illnesses
*Capture and remove suspected rabid wild or domestic animals threatening the safety and health of residents
*Enforce animal-related Township ordinances and State Statutes
*Daily Township patrol
*Assists multi agencies in urgent animal-related situations
*Investigates animal bites and handles quarantines when/if necessary
*Removal of DOA wildlife carcasses from Township public property (it is the homeowner’s responsibility to remove deceased wildlife from their own property)
*Removal of DOA domestic animals from private and public properties
*Rescue injured, abandoned and/or orphaned wildlife
*Capture Wildlife in “Living Area” of the home
*Capture Bats in “Living Area” of the home
*Educate the public on animal-related topics
*Canvass the Township for unlicensed dogs and cats and take enforcement action when necessary. All dogs and cats must be licensed annually. The licensing process allows for an effective rabies control program. Rabies is a fatal but preventable disease that affects warm-blooded mammals (including humans).
PET LICENSE INFORMATION:
The pet license renewal period begins the first business day of January and ends February 15th. Renewals after this period are subject to a $10.00 late fee per animal.
Proof of rabies vaccine must be submitted with each license application. Any rabies vaccine which expires before November 1st of the licensing year will require an updated vaccine prior to the issuance of the pet license. This is mandatory for both dogs and cats. All certificates received will be returned with the new license.
N.J.A.C 8:23A 4.1 Requirements for licensure
(a) Except as otherwise provided in N.J.A.C. 8:23A-4.3, no municipal clerk or other official designated to license dogs shall grant any such license and official metal registration tag for any dog unless the dog owner provides evidence that the dog to be licensed and registered has been inoculated against rabies with a vaccine having duration of immunity which extends throughout at least ten of the 12 months of the licensing period. Dogs with a duration of immunity against rabies that expires prior to the tenth month of the licensing period shall be revaccinated prior to issuance of a license.
Wayne Township offers free Rabies Vaccinations to all dogs and cats. The Township hosts a free rabies clinic in May and November at the Town Garage on Dey Road. Dogs and cats must be licensed once they have a current rabies vaccination.
For information on Animal Rescue, please read the article "How to Know When an Animal Needs to be Rescued".
For information on Animal Cruelty laws, refer to the Cruelty Laws, the Penalties for Various Acts Constituting Cruelty, and the Guide to Prevention of Animal Cruelty Laws.