Asbury Park passes ordinance to ban ‘backyard’ dog and cat breeding
Leaders say the new ordinance is an effort to prevent animal abuse.
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A Jersey Shore town is fighting back to stop animal abuse.
Recent dogfighting and abandonment cases in and near Asbury Park have led city leaders to take drastic measures and pass a new ordinance banning “backyard breeding” and advertising the sale of dogs and cats.
News 12 has reported on dogs like Nutmeg, Orion, Lexus and others that were abandoned or raised to breed and fight. Asbury Park leaders said they had had enough and passed a first-of-its-kind law for New Jersey last week.
“Overbreeding has always been an issue, not only in Monmouth County, in communities like Asbury Park, but across the state and across the nation,” said Monmouth County SPCA executive director Ross Licitra. “Lexus had all the signs the dog was involved in such activities. Scars, burning on paws in deplorable conditions.”
When a female pit mix named Tate arrived at the SPCA weeks ago, Licitra said she showed signs of obvious overbreeding with a male dog named Mustard. Both Tate and Mustard were rescued from the Atkins Avenue area of Asbury Park after they were found tethered to steel benches alone.
“The overbreeding ordinance gives another punch to the whole tool bag of trying to control and keep animals safe here in Monmouth County,” said Licitra.
If a pet accidentally becomes pregnant or delivers a litter, there are carve-outs in the rules, as long as the city and the SPCA are notified. The hope now is for neighboring communities, like Neptune Township and even the state, to pass similar laws to get everyone on the same page.
“The Monmouth County SPCA wants to applaud Asbury Park Mayor John Moore and Deputy Mayor Amy Quinn for taking such bold action in passing this ordinance,” said Licitra.
Penalties range from $250 for advertising the sale of such animals per person per day to up to $1,000 per litter deliberately bred.
