Trenton, NJ Animal Ordinances: Breed Restrictions (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- § 21-9, Vicious and potentially dangerous dogs
- Breed ban
- none in Trenton Code
- Basis for designation
- Municipal Court finding under N.J.S.A. 4:19-26
- Boarding fee
- $25 per day plus vet costs
- Euthanasia fee
- $75, per § 21-9
- Enhanced license fee
- $700/year once declared potentially dangerous
Summary
Trenton's code does not ban any dog breed outright. Instead, § 21-9 sets fees that apply once the Municipal Court, under state law N.J.S.A. 4:19-26, has already declared a specific dog vicious or potentially dangerous: $25 per day for boarding plus out-of-pocket veterinary costs, and $75 if the court orders the dog euthanized.
Pursuant to N.J.S.A. 4:19-26, the fee for boarding and maintenance of any dog deemed by the Municipal Court to be either vicious or potentially dangerous is hereby fixed at $25 per day plus any out-of-pocket costs expended for medical care and related items. The fee to euthanize and dispose of any dog declared vicious or potentially dangerous shall be $75.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4853025; v21 updated 2025-12-16; through 12-16-2025).
Full Breakdown
A. 4:19-26. Once the Municipal Court makes that finding, for any breed, the dog's owner is billed $25 per day for boarding and maintenance while the dog is held, plus any out-of-pocket costs expended for medical care and related items. If the court separately orders the dog euthanized and disposed of because of the vicious or dangerous finding, § 21-9 fixes that fee at $75. A. 4:19-23, its annual license fee jumps to $700, on top of the base $12 dog license fee every Trenton dog owner already pays under § 21-4(A).
Because Trenton's ordinance text ties every one of these consequences to a Municipal Court adjudication under state law rather than to breed, membership in a particular breed by itself triggers nothing under Trenton's code; the vicious or potentially dangerous designation depends on the dog's individual conduct as found by the court, not its breed.
Violations & Fines
There is no separate 'breed violation' penalty because Trenton does not restrict ownership by breed. Once a dog is judicially declared vicious or potentially dangerous, the owner owes the $25 daily boarding fee, any veterinary costs, the $700 annual license fee under § 21-4(E), and the $75 euthanasia fee if the court orders destruction.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Trenton ban pit bulls or other specific dog breeds?
How much does it cost to license a dog declared potentially dangerous in Trenton?
What happens if a Trenton dog is ordered euthanized as dangerous?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Trenton
How Trenton compares: Cities with No Dog Breed Restrictions·Compare Trenton to another location·View the New Jersey animal ordinances overview
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