Breed Restrictions: Edison vs New Brunswick

Does Edison Township ban pit bulls or any breed?

No. Edison has no breed-specific ordinance, and New Jersey statute N.J.S.A. 4:19-17.6 prohibits any New Jersey municipality from regulating dogs based on breed. Edison instead handles dangerous-dog issues case-by-case under the state's behavior-based statute.

How does Edison handle dangerous dogs without a breed ban?

Edison Animal Control and the Municipal Prosecutor can file a complaint under N.J.S.A. 4:19-17 et seq. asking Edison Municipal Court to declare a specific dog 'potentially dangerous.' If granted, the owner must confine, muzzle, sign-post, and specially license the dog or face seizure.

What if I am bitten by a dog in Edison?

New Jersey applies strict liability to dog bites under N.J.S.A. 4:19-16 — the owner is liable regardless of the dog's prior behavior. Report the bite to Edison Animal Control and your physician; rabies-quarantine and potentially-dangerous-dog proceedings may follow under state law.

Are pit bulls banned in Middlesex County?

No. New Jersey law (N.J.S.A. 4:19-36) prohibits breed-specific ordinances, so no municipality in the county may ban pit bulls or any other breed.

How are dangerous dogs handled then?

Under N.J.S.A. 4:19-17 et seq., a specific dog can be declared potentially dangerous or vicious through a municipal court proceeding based on its behavior, not its breed.