New Jersey State Legislation
S3219 Animal Sterilization Bill
Sponsored by Assemblywoman Linda
Greenstein, Legislative District 14
The New Jersey
Federation of Dog Clubs has been working with the Assemblywoman and
other animal groups, to reach a satisfactory wording to A3219. We
have been asked to put our concerns into writing, specifying what
wording we wish to change and why.
We have suggested to
remedy the first part of the bill concerning the impounding of dogs
and cats with a three strikes and you’re out policy. This would
replace the opt out language that is currently in the bill in order to
permit breeders to reclaim their cats and dogs intact. The current
language is fraught with errors and would be impossible to interpret
or enforce. We believe that allowing some people to retrieve their
pets intact while others must have their pets sterilized before they
can be reclaimed is unjust. Our language would allow all pet owners
the opportunity to reclaim their pet without having to have it
sterilized. It would put into effect mandatory micro chipping of any
cat or dog reclaimed from an animal shelter (at owner cost). It would
allow micro chipped, registered and licensed pets to be reclaimed,
free, if a first offense. If a dog or cat is impounded a second time,
there would be a higher fine, with a third impoundment resulting in
mandatory sterilization and a high fine.
Justification for
substituting the above material:
- This system will
save the shelter money and time, by implanting a system of
micro-chipping all impounded cats and dogs, making it easier to
reunite the pet with its owner.
- Record keeping is
simplified and builds a body of accurate data (such as breed of
animal) as a result of microchips.
- All cat and dog
owners are treated the same.
- This system has a
three-strike clause, which will result in an impounded dog or cat
being sterilized after the third impoundment of the same animal
within a calendar year.
Such a system is more
likely to encourage responsible pet ownership.
Our position with
respect to the rest of the bill is that we want mandatory cat
licensing before we can consider further increases.
For anyone wishing to
let his/her position be known on A3219
Contact:
Assemblywoman Linda R.
Greenstein
7 Centre Drive, Suite 2
Monroe, NJ 08831-1565
609-395-9911
FAX (609)-395-9032
AsmGreenstein@njleg.org
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