Latest update: Senate Bill 2923 (Sweeney) and Assembly Bill 4036 (Burzichelli) is proposed legislation that would negatively impact the welfare of stray dogs and cats and their impoundment.

There were so many drawbacks and so many loopholes to this legislation, that it is an unbelievably bad bill. The Executive Director chose to speak on NJ 101.5 after Senator Sweeney spoke on air and said he did not understand how this got into legislation that had to do with low-cost spay/neuter.

We are surprised that neither Senator Sweeney or Assemblyman Burzichelli lack that understanding since it was in a previous bill: S.1643 and A.3205 were passed by both houses and went to Gov. Christie's desk where IT WAS PREVIOUSLY VETOED!

Why has this wording come up again in a new piece of legislation?

For the past several months, the AHS wrote and appeared to the various committees, sent e-mail alerts, posted on our website and in the HUMANE NEWS that this was a BAD BILL! Firstly, one of the well-known national organizations SUPPORTED the bill without delving into the wording. This bill was fast tracked and made it to the Governor’s desk. After a groundswell of support to stop this bill, Gov. Christie will conditionally veto this bill. The sponsors of the bill are going to try to fix something that ain’t broke! This is not the first piece of legislation in which it appeared. We are keeping vigilant as it may very well appear in a proposed piece of legislation at a later date.

One important note that was not brought up by any department or any group:

What if an animal is euthanized and a day or two later, it is discovered that someone was bitten??? Must the individual go through the series of rabies shots?