Edison, NJ Animal Ordinances: Pet Limits (2026)

Unlike some New Jersey municipalities (e.g., neighboring towns that cap dogs at 3–4 per household), Edison Township does not impose a strict per-residence cap in its general Code. Instead, multi-pet households are regulated through the cumulative impact of Chapter 9 (Animals — sanitary keeping, leashing, barking), Chapter 12 (Health Code — vermin/odor nuisance), and state licensing law. Edison residents must license every dog over 7 months old annually with the Township Clerk's Office under N.J.S.A. 4:19-15.2, with proof of current rabies vaccination; fees are tiered for spayed/neutered versus intact dogs. Once a household reaches 10 or more dogs, it qualifies as a 'kennel' under N.J.S.A. 4:19-15.8 and must obtain a state kennel license through NJDA and meet additional zoning, structural, and inspection standards. Households with significantly more animals than zoning would normally accommodate are commonly cited under Chapter 9 sanitary standards or Chapter 12 vermin/odor rules, and severe cases are referred to Edison PD for animal-cruelty/hoarding review under N.J.S.A. 4:22. Cat licensing is also required annually in many NJ municipalities, including Edison.