Update: December 20, 2017
The New Jersey Senate Economic Growth Committee has favorably reported bill S3019. It is now being considered by the New Jersey Senate Committee on Budget & Appropriations. Stay tuned for ways to voice your support for this bill.
Update: December 14, 2017
The Senate Economic Growth Committee meeting has been rescheduled for Monday, December 18, at 10:30 a.m. Please consider attending and testifying in support of bill S3019! Those planning to testify must arrive early and sign up.
Update: December 11, 2017
Today’s Senate Economic Growth Committee meeting was canceled. Thank you to everyone who was planning to testify, and we’re sorry for the inconvenience. Alley Cat Allies will continue to update New Jersey residents about this bill.
Original Post
The New Jersey Senate Economic Growth Committee will meet on December 11 to consider a bill that would save the lives of shelter animals and community cats around the state. Residents are encouraged to attend the meeting and testify in support of the bill.
The bill, S3019, encourages New Jersey shelters to either implement their own Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) program or direct all community cats at intake to an established TNR program.
Community cats are usually not adoptable, so shelters are a death sentence for them. The bill will help ensure that community cats are quickly moved out of shelter facilities and returned to where they belong–their outdoor homes.
The bill also would require shelters to keep, and make public, records of all animals who enter and leave their facilities. This will hold shelters accountable to the community for the health and safety of the animals in their care. Shelter staff also would be required to provide enrichment activities to improve animals’ mental and physical wellbeing during their stay in the facility.
Under the bill, shelter staff would be required to scan for a microchip each cat and dog who enters the facility. Scanning for microchips is the quickest way to ensure both pets and community cats return to their homes.
If you live in New Jersey, please consider attending the December 11 meeting in person and voicing your support. The meeting starts at 10:30 a.m. Those planning to testify in support of the bill must arrive early and sign up. Residents who can’t attend can email their legislators and ask them to pass S3019. Click here to learn how to take action for this lifesaving bill.
Alley Cat Allies urges New Jersey officials to make the right decision and pass S3019. New Jersey’s community cats, and all shelter animals, deserve humane treatment and policies. We will keep you updated as the bill moves forward.