SENATE ECONOMIC GROWTH COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

SENATE, No. 2847

with committee amendments

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  FEBRUARY 6, 2017

      The Senate Economic Growth Committee reports favorably and with committee amendments Senate Bill No. 2847.

     As amended and reported, this bill requires every cat and dog to be spayed or neutered before it is sold, bartered, exchanged, transferred, or released for adoption from an animal rescue organization facility, kennel, pet shop, shelter, or pound, except if:

     1) the cat or dog is less than two months old;

     2) a licensed veterinarian determines the cat or dog cannot be spayed or neutered for other health reasons affecting the cat or dog; or

     3) the cat or dog is being placed in a foster home or being transferred to another shelter, pound, kennel operating as a shelter or pound, or animal rescue organization facility.

     The bill also specifies that, prior to releasing any cat or dog to the person assuming ownership, the shelter, pound, or kennel operating as a shelter or pound would spay or neuter the cat or dog if the cat or dog has not previously been spayed or neutered, or pay the person assuming ownership of the cat or dog an amount equal to the cost of spaying or neutering the cat or dog up to $250.

     The bill establishes for a violation of the bill’s spay and neuter requirements a fine of up to $1,000, which would be deposited in the “Animal Population Control Fund.” This fund is used to provide low cost spaying and neutering of cats and dogs in the State.

     The bill requires animal rescue organizations to register with the Department of Health.  The bill also authorizes shelters, pounds, and kennels operating as shelters or pounds to euthanize an animal before holding the animal for seven days if warranted by the animal’s age, health, or behavior.

      The committee amended the bill to add the requirement for animal rescue organizations to register with the Department of Health (DOH) no more than 180 days after the effective date of the bill.  A person who fails to register would be subject to a civil penalty of up to $1,000.  The committee also amended the bill to provide that, if an animal is surrendered voluntarily by its owner to a shelter, pound, or kennel operating as a shelter or pound, the animal may immediately be offered for adoption or transferred to an animal rescue organization or foster home.  Further, the amendments provide that an animal that is surrendered voluntarily by the animal’s owner may be euthanized in a manner that causes as little pain as possible before the seven-day period has elapsed when 1) the animal’s age, health, or behavior warrants euthanizing the animal, or 2) the animal is suffering from an intractable illness other than rabies that threatens the welfare of the other impounded animals.