A universal bill for consistence and transparency is the catalyst for reform of animal welfare in our state
There is never a shortage of animal-related bills in the NJ Legislature. At the time of this post, there have been 82 bills introduced in the 2024-2025 session and the list grows each week. If we narrow the search:
15 bills related to Animal Control and Licensing
40 bills related to Animal Cruelty
Clearly New Jersey has constituents who care about animals.
But with so many organizations, citizens and politicians pushing for change, we still don't have answers to these very basic questions:
In nearly every town and some cities, why does it take an open records request just to find out who holds the animal control contract?
Why do hundreds of people call us each week with stories about animal control and Humane Law Enforcement officers refusing to intervene in cases of cruelty or enjoyment of property?
Why isn't there transparent information about municipal shelters and the animals they intake? Look at all of the work we had to do just to find answers!
Why are there no legible records of every call to animal control or the police? How do we know what happens to cats?
How do you even create a budget if your town's animal control is unable or unwilling to meet the state's best practices for sheltering and municipal animal control?
If we can't answer these, how can we expect bills that address specific issues within animal control to make a difference?
Where do we go when animal control or a shelter is not abiding by state laws? Where do we report unlawful contracts that leave cats suffering outside, or insufficient records when we request them?
What do we do when our town is blatantly turning people away who need impound, surrender, euthanasia of suffering cats? ACOs who refuse to resolve complaints?
Just a few cats who needed our help after animal control refused to address injured strays.
The answer is a bill that we are very excited to support, NJ A4898. The very brief highlights:
Annual inspections by the Department of Health of all records maintained by Animal Control
Appointment of a municipal health officer to ensure that the statewide requirements for animal control and sheltering are implemented
Establishment of Department of Health oversight of animal control (current laws do not define animal control or establish a chain of command) including the ability to file complaints with the State in the event of noncompliance
Requirement of municipalities to prioritize animal control programs when establishing funding for animal control
Appropriation of $500,000 in grants to municipalities for such programs
Clear definitions of responsibilities and practices to be followed by animal control officers and impound facilities
This bill does not preclude contracts or mandate "one size fits all" animal control programs, but establishes robust framework so that towns no longer can "opt out" of providing animal control services and adequate sheltering to its human and animal residents.
Put simply, this bill is what we need to walk before we can run.
No program or law can effectively change our state's treatment of animal issues without establishing transparency, accountability, oversight, and maintenance of records first.
But what about the 50 Feral Fix? Why is Whiskers spending time reviewing bills when you could be trapping and helping people?
Buy-in by municipalities of adequate animal control practices will make programs like the 50 Feral Fix even stronger. Right now, our biggest obstacle is "opt-out" of animal control and humane law enforcement. So many times we are assisting residents with navigation of animal control programs that just don't work. While we and other rescues help as much as we can, no rescue can replace municipally funded and regulated animal control alone. The current lack of uniform animal control is causing TNR programs to fail and huge divides across our state. Without this bill and the practices it establishes, any efforts made to help cats will remain a "cat person" problem ignored by towns.....instead of a quality of life issue that affects everyone.
Rest assured, the 50 Feral Fix and TNR assistance we provide has never been more in demand. We need this bill to lay the framework for responsible caretaking, robust animal control, and uniform enforcement across the state.
Not a political person?
You can still support the 50 Feral Fix here, where we continue to turn feeders into caretakers and assist them in navigating their towns and neighbors. We cover vet bills and emergencies.
Or support a responsible caretaker in need with a safe, high quality trap through the Bottle and Rope Fund!
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