The proposed Compassion for Community Cats Law aims to improve the management of stray and feral cats in New Jersey 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, legislative appropriations, and returns on investments. The fund will provide grants to municipalities and counties to implement humane programs for trapping, sterilizing, vaccinating, and returning community cats to their original locations. The bill also mandates that no cat may be released for adoption from shelters or rescue organizations unless it has been spayed or neutered, with specific exceptions for young or health-compromised cats.

Additionally, the bill includes provisions for the management of community cats, requiring that any trapped community cat undergo spaying or neutering, ear-tipping, and rabies vaccination before being returned or transferred. It also repeals certain sections of previous legislation related to a pilot program for pet sterilization, streamlining the focus on community cat management. The committee amendments to the bill correct cross-references, rectify typographical errors, and remove outdated references to programs that have been superseded. Overall, the legislation seeks to promote responsible animal population control and enhance the welfare of community cats in the state.

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