Biannual census of canines is underway in Hardyston Township

HARDYSTON-Dogs of Hardyston, stand up and be counted. The township's biannual dog census started on April 25. An experienced dog-census taker will be going from door to door to count canine noses and collect other information about the four-legged denizens of the township. The goal of the census is to assure that dogs are vaccinated against rabies and licensed. Owners of dogs still unlicensed should take action now. Applications are available at the township Web site, hardyston.com, or at the municipal building. In New Jersey, all dogs over seven months old must be licensed. State law exempts cats, but local ordinances also may require them to be licensed. The law also mandates that municipalities tally the number of canine citizens every two years. Rabies is not a trivial menace in Sussex County. More than 330 cases of the disease were reported between Jan. 1 and Sept. 30, 2004, including 11 in cats and one in a dog. Wild animals comprised the remainder of the cases, with raccoons being the most frequent victims of the fatal disease. In Hamburg last month, a rabid skunk reportedly was identified. Officials say that people often think that licensing a dog is an unnecessary nuisance. But studies have shown that owners who license their dogs usually take better care of them and are less likely to allow them to roam. Roaming dogs are at far greater risk of being struck by vehicles or bitten by rabid wild animals. What's more, a lost dog wearing a collar and tags is more likely to be returned to its family. The NJ Dept. of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) estimates that more than two-thirds of all New Jersey dogs are unlicensed. In Hardyston, the license fee for a spayed or neutered dog is $8 and for a breeding animal, $12. A portion of the fee goes to support local animal and rabies control programs. The remainder is distributed to the state for similar endeavors, as well as for the Animal Population Control Program, which funds the New Jersey low-cost spay and neuter initiative, and to The People for Animals, a low-cost clinic in