Sponsored by:
Senator ANTHONY R. BUCCO
District 25 (Morris and Somerset)
Senator LINDA R. GREENSTEIN
District 14 (Mercer and Middlesex)
Co-Sponsored by:
Senator Addiego
SYNOPSIS
Requires institutions of higher education to offer cats and dogs no longer used for educational, research, or scientific purposes for adoption; designated the “Homes for Animal Heroes Act.”
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As reported by the Senate Environment and Energy Committee on September 13, 2018, with amendments.
An Act concerning the disposition of cats and dogs used by institutions of higher education for educational, research, or scientific purposes, 1designated the “Homes for Animal Heroes Act,”1 and supplementing Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. An institution of higher education 1[, or a facility that conducts research in collaboration with an institution of higher education,]1 that uses cats or dogs for educational, research, or scientific purposes 1[, before euthanizing a cat or dog that is no longer to be used for such purposes,] shall assess a cat or dog to determine whether it is suitable for adoption, when the cat or dog is no longer needed for educational, research, or scientific purposes. If the institution of higher education determines that the cat or dog is suitable for adoption, the institution of higher education1 shall 1[first]1 offer the cat or dog to an animal rescue organization 1or private individual1 for adoption 1[, provided that euthanizing the cat or dog is not required for health or safety reasons]1. An institution 1[or facility]1 required to offer cats or dogs 1[to an animal rescue organization] for adoption1 pursuant to this section may enter into an agreement with an animal rescue organization 1or private individual1 to implement this section on an on-going basis.
b. An institution 1[or facility]1 that provides a cat or dog to an animal rescue organization 1or private individual1 pursuant to this section shall be immune from any civil liability arising from the transfer of the cat or dog, provided the institution 1[or facility]1 has acted in good faith concerning the 1[health and physical condition of] suitability of1 the cat or dog 1for adoption1.
1c. An institution of higher education required to offer cats or dogs for adoption pursuant to this section may establish guidelines or other qualifications in order to determine if a cat or dog is suitable for adoption, or to determine whether an animal rescue organization or private individual is qualified to receive a cat or dog for adoption pursuant to this section.1
1[c.] d.1 As used in this section, “animal rescue organization” means the same as that term is defined in section 1 of P.L.1941, c.151 (C.4:19-15.1).
2. This act shall take effect immediately.