Monroe Township (Middlesex County), NJ Animal Ordinances: Dog Leash Laws (2026)

Section 33-12 of the Monroe Township Code is the leash rule. No person owning or charged with the care of a dog can permit it to be upon any public street or in any other public place in the Township unless the dog is securely fastened to an adequate leash not more than eight feet long and is accompanied by a person capable of controlling it. Section 33-11 is the companion rule: no person owning or charged with the care of an animal can permit it to run at large upon public streets, in any public park, in any public building or in any other public place, or on private property without the owner's permission. Section 33-1 defines running at large as any animal off the premises of the owner and not under physical restraint and control of the owner, keeper or a responsible person by a leash, lead, cord, cage or other suitable means.

The chapter also covers what happens at home. Under § 33-15.1 B, unaltered dogs cannot be tethered at all, and altered dogs can be tethered only on a tether at least 15 feet long, for no more than seven consecutive hours in any twenty-four-hour period and never between sunset and sunrise. Section 33-15 requires owners who curb a dog on the street between the curblines to immediately and properly dispose of the pet's solid waste, and § 33-15 D treats chasing vehicles, molesting passersby, habitually attacking other domestic animals and trespassing as a nuisance. Section 33-13 defines a barking dog noise disturbance as continuous barking for 10 minutes or intermittent barking for 30 minutes.

Enforcement belongs to the Animal Control Officer, appointed by the Mayor under § 33-2, with Police Officers. Section 33-16 directs them to impound any dog off its owner's premises without a current registration tag, any female dog in season off the premises, and any dog off the premises reported to be ill, injured or creating a threat to public health, safety or welfare. The owner receives a seven-day notice under § 33-17 and pays an administration fee for each pickup under § 33-18. Section 33-34 exempts dogs used for law enforcement activities.