Perth Amboy, NJ Animal Ordinances: Breed Restrictions (2026)

Perth Amboy regulates dangerous dogs by conduct under § 199-27, not by breed. Reading Chapter 199, the only places breed appears are the license application, which asks for the dog's breed, and one waiver factor for extra dogs, the breed and size of the dog. No breed is banned or singled out.

The process starts with seizure. An animal control officer seizes and impounds a dog on reasonable cause to believe it attacked a person and caused death or serious bodily injury, caused bodily injury during an unprovoked attack and poses a serious threat of harm to persons or domestic animals, engaged in dog-fighting, or was trained, tormented, badgered, baited or encouraged to attack. The officer notifies the Municipal Court and the City Health Officer immediately, and notifies the owner by certified mail within three working days of identifying that owner. The owner has seven days to return a signed statement asking for a hearing or relinquishing the dog.

The Municipal Court declares the dog vicious by clear and convincing evidence if it killed a person, caused serious bodily injury, or engaged in dog fighting. A provoked attack does not qualify, and the city bears the burden of proving the dog was not provoked. A vicious dog is destroyed unless an appeal is filed, and no dog is destroyed during an appeal.

A potentially dangerous declaration follows an unprovoked bite with a serious threat of injury or death, a killing of another domestic animal that poses a threat, or training to attack. The court issues a compliance order. The owner obtains a special city license, registration number and red tag, has the number tattooed on the dog, posts a warning sign legible from fifty feet of the enclosure, and builds an enclosure with sound sides, top and bottom inside a fence at least six feet high, separated by three feet from the confined area. Outside the enclosure the dog is muzzled and tethered within three feet of the owner. The owner has no more than sixty days to comply, and the Animal Control Officer inspects monthly. Either side can appeal to Superior Court, Law Division, for a hearing de novo.