The proposed Compassion for Community Cats Law seeks to improve the management of stray and feral cat populations by establishing the Compassion for Community Cats Fund within the Department of Health. This fund will be financed through various sources, including fines for violations of the bill, a surcharge on dog licenses, and appropriations from the Legislature. The fund will provide grants to municipalities and counties for humane programs focused on trapping, sterilizing, vaccinating, and returning community cats to their original locations. The bill also defines key terms such as "community cat" and "community cat caregiver," highlighting the importance of responsible care for these animals.

In addition to establishing the fund, the bill mandates that no cat may be adopted from shelters or rescue organizations without being spayed or neutered, with specific exceptions for young or health-compromised cats. It also requires that any community cat brought to a shelter undergo spaying or neutering, ear-tipping, and rabies vaccination before being returned to its habitat or transferred to a new owner. The legislation clarifies the responsibilities of animal control officers and shelters, allowing for immediate sterilization and vaccination of community cats. Furthermore, the bill repeals certain sections of previous legislation related to a pilot program for pet sterilization, streamlining the focus on community cat management.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 4:19-15.1, 4:19-15.3, 4:19-15.16, 4:19A-1, 4:19A-2, 4:19A-3, 4:19A-4, 4:19A-5, 45:16-9.4