Animal Control

Responsibilities - The Animal Control Division of the Montville Township Health Department includes two full-time Animal Control Officers. These Animal Control Officers are compassionate animal welfare professionals, who enforce local and regional laws concerning the care and treatment of animals and educate the public about animal control safety. Officers often respond to calls from citizens about stray animals and suspected animal cruelty. Sometimes, officers have to capture or rescue animals, and other times administer warnings or citations to citizens suspected of animal cruelty and mistreatment. Montville’s Animal Control Officers possess superior attention to detail and knowledge of New Jersey sheltering, animal control laws and regulations, animal health, animal well-being, including nutritional needs, resources for information, knowledge of common animal disease and treatments, skills in animal first-aid, and CPR. Our Animal Control Officers are responsible for operating/maintaining the animal shelter and performing a wide variety of animal control functions, including: 

• Providing certain Animal Control services (please see list below)
• Managing the Animal Shelter
• Managing adoption of animals from the shelter
• Conducting rabies vaccination clinics 
• Coordinating a low-cost spay / neuter and veterinarian care program
• Fund-raising, and collecting donated food/litter/bedding/other supplies
• Providing educational presentations for schools and community groups
• Providing tours of the Animal Shelter for schools and community groups

Animal Shelter Donations

Volunteers, and donations of food, litter, supplies, and equipment are always welcomed.

Animal Control Services Provided:

• Securing and impounding stray domestic, agricultural, and exotic animals
• Accepting stray and surrendered domestic, agricultural and exotic animals 
• Assessing status of all sick/injured animals
• Removing deceased animals (except deer) from public roads/property
• Referring deceased deer on public roads to contracted removal company
• Trapping ONLY animals (except bats) that are suspected to be rabid
• Trapping/removing bats found in homes for rabies testing
• Assisting with release of privately trapped animals on private property ($25 fee)

For assistance with any of the above:

• During business hours, call the Animal Shelter at 973-334-6410
• After hours/weekends/holidays, call the Police Department at 973-257-4300

Animal Control Services NOT Provided:

• Trapping nuisance wildlife (i.e. groundhogs eating vegetation, foxes, deer, coyotes)
• Removing deceased animals from private property

Nuisance Wildlife In Your Home or On Your Property

• Please contact a wildlife control/removal company

Deceased Wildlife In Your Home or On Your Property

• Please contact a wildlife control/removal company, or
• Place the deceased animal in a bag, and put it out for collection with garbage, or
• Dig a hole and bury the deceased animal on your property, or
• Apply garden lime on the deceased animal to neutralize any odors, and allow the deceased animal to decompose on your property

General Information on Wildlife in New Jersey

Despite being the most densely populated state in the nation, New Jersey is also one of the most biologically diverse states, home to over 1000 different species of animal wildlife. Our many different ecosystems of coastal marine areas, pine forests, upland hardwood forests, fresh and salt water marshes, as well as 1000’s of lakes and rivers provide ample habitat for a wide variety of wildlife. Montville Township, with its many undeveloped scenic open areas, is home to a large number of these species of wildlife.

The New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife is responsible for all wildlife in New Jersey. Management of both game and non-game species includes the common goals of protecting and managing habitats and wildlife populations and maintaining wildlife diversity. This work has restored populations of wild turkey and peregrine falcons, as well as bald eagles and osprey. Beavers are again widespread, as are coyotes, and even secretive bobcat have extended their range in the state.

Wildlife management in the state is not without challenges, but even with the threat of habitat loss confronting many species, proper management has allowed our wildlife to thrive. This in turn provides enormous economic and recreational benefits to the people of the state. 

Mammals - Almost 90 different species of mammals live in New Jersey. Black bears live mostly in our Northwest region, but have been sighted in all 21 of the states counties. This state has more white-tailed deer per square mile than anywhere else in North America. Suburban dwellers and hikers often see deer, rabbits, squirrels, chipmunks, groundhogs, bats, skunks, and the occasional fox, coyote, or bear. The State Mammal of New Jersey is the horse.

Birds - NJ is an important stopover for bird migration along the East Coast, and home to over 400 different species of birds. Bald Eagles have been sighted in 16 of our 21 counties. The states official bald eagle count now stands at almost 300. White and blue herons are commonly found in or near the states rivers and canals. The Red Cardinal can be seen everywhere in the state. The State Bird of New Jersey is the colorful Eastern goldfinch.

Reptiles - NJ is home to 43 different species of snakes, turtles, and lizards. The Northern black racer and black rat snake are the state's largest snakes at over 6 feet. Both are found throughout the state. The Northern copperhead and timber rattlesnake are two venomous snakes found in NJ. The Snapping Turtle is the largest and most common turtle in NJ: they grow to over 20 inches and their range spans the entire state. The State Reptile of New Jersey is the bog turtle.

Amphibians - 36 different species of frogs, salamander, and toad live in NJ, including 13 different species of frogs. Bullfrogs, which can grow up to six inches, are found throughout the state. At over eight inches long, the Eastern tiger salamander is the state's largest amphibian, and is mostly found in South Jersey. The New Jersey State Amphibian is the colorful and well-known Pine Barrens tree frog.

Fish - The New Jersey coastline is home to over 300 species of marine fish. Saltwater fish off the NJ coast include sea bass, fluke, swordfish, sturgeon, cod, tuna, eel, marlin, and shark. Thousands of fishing ponds and lakes, as well as 100’s of rivers, provide ample habitat for 134 species of freshwater fish in NJ. Its lakes are known for bass, pickerel, sunfish, and carp. Rivers carry catfish, trout, shad, striper, and muskellunge. Some of the best fresh water fishing in the North America can be found in New Jersey. The State Fish of New Jersey is the brook trout.

Insects - There are over 900 different species of insects found in New Jersey, including both nuisance insects such as mosquitoes, ticks, flies, bedbugs, stinkbugs, fleas, roaches, wasps, and hornets, but also beneficial insects such as dragonflies, ladybugs, crickets, praying mantis, butterflies, and honey bees. The State Insect of New Jersey is the European honey bee.