The Police Division’s Animal Control Officer responds to calls and complaints from the public concerning lost, stray, injured, or nuisance domestic animals as well as calls concerning suspected rabid, wild or domestic animals and vicious dogs. The Animal Control officer will respond in a timely manner during regular business hours and provide for 24-hour on-call service to handle after hours emergency situations.

The Animal Control Officer will make every effort to capture stray domestic animals as well as those wild animal suspected of being stricken with rabies (i.e., raccoons, skunks, groundhogs, foxes, and bats) which threaten the safety and health of township residents. Captured animals will be transported to the appropriate Animal Holding Facility, Veterinary Hospital or Public Health Testing Center. Furthermore, the Animal Control Officer will investigate all reports of animal bite incidents as well as reports of vicious and aggressive animals.

Incidents of an emergent nature involving animals should be directed to Police Dispatch for immediate handling by patrol officers in advance of the Animal Control Officer. For after hours emergency service, contact Police Dispatch at 732-657-6111.

Animal Control Officer: Margaret Dellapietro

  • Telephone: 732-657-2009 ext. 4606
  • The Manchester Township Animal Control Officer is available from 8:30 am to 4:00 pm, Monday thru Friday (except holidays).

Reporting Animal Cruelty

If you have information regarding animal cruelty or abuse, you should contact the following:

  • The Manchester Township Police, if the animal cruelty or abuse happened inside Manchester Township: 732-657-6111.
  • The Manchester Township Police Department has trained and authorized Animal Cruelty Investigators and therefore can investigate animal cruelty or abuse situations. The Manchester Township Police Department should be contacted if the cruelty or abuse occurred in Manchester Township.

Dog Licensing

The owners of all dogs seven (7) months of age or older are required to annually apply to the Municipal Clerk of Manchester Township for a dog license. In order for the license to be issued, the owner must present proof that a licensed veterinarian has vaccinated the dog against rabies and that the duration of immunity from that vaccination extends through at least ten months of the twelve-month licensing period.

  • An exemption to the rabies inoculation requirement shall be granted if the owner presents written certification from a licensed veterinarian that the dog cannot be vaccinated due to a medical condition or course of therapy.

Dog licenses are renewed during the month of June. Renewals will not be accepted prior to June 1st and those renewing after June 30th will be subject to a late fee of $5.00. Late fees will not be imposed for those individuals who either take possession of a new dog or become a new resident of the township after June 30th.

Dog licensing fees are as follows:

1 Year License for neutered or spayed dogs:                                       $8.00

1 Year License for non-neutered or spayed dogs:                  $11.00

3 Year License for neutered or spayed dogs:                         $21.00

3 Year License for non-neutered or spayed dogs:                  $30.00

Common Animal Related Violations

§ 101-15. Noise disturbances from barking dog.

No person shall own, possess or harbor any pet that frequently or for continued duration makes sounds that create a noise disturbance across a residential real property line. For the purpose of this article, a noise disturbance from a barking dog shall be defined as that created by a dog barking continually for 10 minutes or intermittently for 30 minutes unless provoked.

§ 101-16. Running at large prohibited; leash required.

  • No person, owning, keeping or harboring any dog shall suffer or permit it to run at large upon the public streets or in any public park or in any public building or in any other public place within the Township.
  • No person owning, keeping or harboring any dog shall suffer or permit it to be upon the public streets or in any of the public places of the Township unless such dog is accompanied by a person over the age of nine years and is securely confined and controlled by an adequate leash not more than six feet long.

§ 101-21. Violations and penalties.

Any person owning, keeping or harboring any dog which is charged with the violation of any provision of this article shall, for each offense, upon conviction thereof, by the Judge of the Municipal Court, be liable to a fine not to exceed $2,000, imprisonment for a term not to exceed 90 days or community service for up to 90 days, or any combination thereof, in the discretion of the court.

§ 101-36. Feeding of Feral Cats: Prohibited conduct.

No person shall feed any feral cat within the Township of Manchester.

§ 101-39. Violations and penalties.

Any person(s) who is found to be in violation of the provisions of this article shall be subject to a fine not to exceed $2,000, imprisonment for a term not to exceed 90 days or community service for up to 90 days, or any combination thereof, for each and every violation. If the violation is of continuing nature, each and every day during which it continues constitutes a separate and distinct offense.