When the owner or operator of an animal pound or shelter is arrested pursuant to the provisions of article 2 of chapter 22 of Title 4 of the Revised Statutes by a municipal humane law enforcement officer, a chief humane law enforcement officer, a humane law enforcement officer of a county society for the prevention of cruelty to animals, or any other person authorized to make the arrest under that article, or when the warrant is issued for the arrest, the person making the arrest may petition the Chancery Division of Superior Court to remove the owner or operator as custodian of the animals and appoint a receiver to operate the pound or shelter. The petitioner shall serve a copy of the petition on the Department of Health, the local board of health, and the owner or operator. If a county society for the prevention of cruelty to animals has been designated by the county prosecutor pursuant to subsection a. of section 28 of P.L. 2017, c. 331(C.4:22-14.4), the county society shall, to the extent practicable, be appointed as receiver to operate the pound or shelter unless the county society is the owner or operator of the pound or shelter subject to arrest pursuant to this section.
N.J.S. § 4:22-50.1