Elizabeth, NJ Animal Ordinances: Mandatory Spay/Neuter (2026)

390 places the spay/neuter mandate squarely on shelter adoptions, not on every pet owner in Elizabeth. Under subsection A, any animal leaving the municipal animal shelter through adoption must be sterilized by a licensed veterinarian within thirty days of the adoption date. For animals that are still kittens or puppies under four months of age at adoption, the thirty-day clock does not start until the animal turns four months old, giving the new owner time before the surgery is medically appropriate. The ordinance was adopted by Ordinance No.

400 that applies to the same shelter-adopted population. 180, which the city treasurer and division of housing and inspections review. Subsection B sets the penalty structure directly in the ordinance: a first offense carries a minimum monetary penalty of $250, and a second or any subsequent offense carries a minimum of $500, both enforced through the issuance of a summons rather than a warning. 04 (dog and cat licensing, rabies vaccination) still apply to them.