East Brunswick, NJ Animal Ordinances: Breed Restrictions (2026)
Key Facts
- Breed list
- None in Chapter 83; status turns on the dog's conduct
- Who decides
- Municipal court, on clear and convincing evidence (§ 83-16)
- Potentially dangerous license
- $500.00 annually and on each renewal (§ 83-5)
- Enclosure fence
- At least six feet high, three feet from the confined area
- Compliance deadline
- No more than 60 days after the determination
- Fine for noncompliance
- Not more than $1,000 per day of violation
- Appeal
- Superior Court, Law Division, hearing de novo
Summary
East Brunswick Township names no banned breeds. Under § 83-16 the municipal court declares a dog vicious or potentially dangerous because of what the dog did, on clear and convincing evidence. A potentially dangerous dog needs a $500.00 annual license, a red tag, a tattoo, a locked enclosure and a warning sign, and violations carry fines of up to $1,000 per day.
II. Dog declared vicious by municipal court; conditions. ... A. The municipal court shall declare the dog vicious if it finds by clear and convincing evidence that the dog: (1) Killed a person or caused serious bodily injury as defined in N.J.S. 2C:11-1(b) to a person; or (2) Has engaged in dog fighting activities as described in R.S. 4:22-24 and R.S. 4:22-26. ... III. ... Dog declared potentially dangerous; conditions. ... A. The municipal court shall declare a dog to be potentially dangerous if it finds by clear and convincing evidence that the dog: (1) Caused bodily injury as defined in N.J.S. 2C:11-1(a) to a person during an unprovoked attack, and poses a serious threat of bodily injury or death to a person; or (2) Severely injured or killed another domestic animal, and (a) Poses a threat of serious bodily injury or death to a person; or (b) Poses a threat of death to another domestic animal; or (c) Has been trained, tormented, badgered, baited or encouraged to engage in unprovoked attacks upon persons or domestic animals.
Full Breakdown
Chapter 83 of the East Brunswick Township Code contains no breed list. The word breed appears in the chapter only in § 83-3A(1), where a license application must describe the dog's breed, sex, age, color and markings. Dangerous-dog status is conduct-based and is decided in court. Under § 83-15 the Department of Public Safety, the Animal Control Officer or any police officer investigates complaints against dogs and, on reasonable cause to believe a dog is a nuisance or poses a danger, issues a Township summons to the owner for appearance before the Judge of the East Brunswick Township Court. Under § 83-16 the Animal Control Officer also notifies the owner in writing and requires an appearance at a Municipal Court hearing.
A vicious dog is one the court finds, by clear and convincing evidence, killed a person, caused serious bodily injury to a person, or engaged in dog fighting. A dog is not declared vicious for killing or seriously injuring a person if it was provoked, and the municipality carries the burden of proving it was not provoked. With no appeal, a vicious dog is destroyed in a humane and expeditious manner, and never while an appeal is pending.
The lower tier, potentially dangerous, covers an unprovoked attack that caused bodily injury and poses a serious threat, or a dog that severely injured or killed another domestic animal. The court's order and compliance schedule requires the owner to obtain a special municipal license, registration number and red identification tag from the Township Clerk, have the number tattooed on the dog, post a warning sign visible and legible from 50 feet of the enclosure, and keep the dog in a locked enclosure with sound sides, top and bottom inside a fence of at least six feet in height set at least three feet from the confined area. Outside the enclosure the dog must be securely muzzled and on a tether approved by the Animal Control Officer, within a radius of no more than three feet from the owner. The court can also require liability insurance. The owner has no more than 60 days after the determination to comply, and the Animal Control Officer inspects the enclosure and property at least monthly.
Violations & Fines
An owner who violates the potentially dangerous dog provisions, a rule adopted under them or a court order faces a fine of not more than $1,000 per day, and each day is a separate violation under § 83-16VI. The Animal Control Officer can seize and impound the dog, and the municipal court can order it destroyed. The § 83-33 penalty table lists vicious dog offenses at not to exceed $2,000 per offense with a court appearance. Once appeals end, the owner pays the costs of impounding and destroying the dog.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does East Brunswick Township ban pit bulls or other breeds?
What does a potentially dangerous dog license cost in East Brunswick Township?
Can an owner appeal a vicious or potentially dangerous dog ruling?
What must the owner of a potentially dangerous dog report?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in East Brunswick
How East Brunswick compares: Cities with No Dog Breed Restrictions·Compare East Brunswick to another location·View the New Jersey animal ordinances overview
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Breed Restrictions in Nearby Cities
How other cities in this county handle breed restrictions.