Freehold Township, NJ Animal Ordinances: Breed Restrictions (2026)

Chapter 79, Article I, § 79-6, added and amended through Ord. No. O-11-9, governs individual dangerous-dog determinations rather than any breed-based restriction; Freehold Township's code contains no list of banned or restricted breeds. When the Police Department or Animal Control Officer reasonably believes a dog is vicious or potentially dangerous, they report it in writing to the Municipal Judge, who notifies the owner and holds a hearing. The Municipal Court must find by clear and convincing evidence that the dog killed or seriously injured a person, or engaged in dog fighting, to declare it vicious, in which case the dog is destroyed unless an appeal is pending; a dog cannot be declared vicious if it was provoked, and the Township bears the burden of proving otherwise.

A lesser finding of potentially dangerous applies if the dog caused bodily injury in an unprovoked attack and poses a serious threat, or severely injured or killed another domestic animal, or was trained or encouraged to attack. Once so declared, the owner must obtain a special potentially-dangerous-dog license and red identification tag, tattoo the registration number on the dog, post a warning sign visible from 50 feet, and confine the dog in a locked enclosure with sides, top and bottom built to prevent escape, behind a fence at least six feet high set back at least three feet from the confined area; outside the enclosure the dog must be muzzled and tethered to within three feet of the owner.

The Municipal Court may also require liability insurance. An owner may appeal to the Superior Court, Law Division, and a violation of the compliance order carries a fine of up to $1,000 per day, with each day a separate offense.