This bill mandates that all municipalities in New Jersey establish a municipal animal control program to provide essential animal control services and enforce state laws regarding animal control and cruelty. It requires municipalities to prioritize funding for these programs and appoint a municipal health officer to oversee their implementation and compliance. The health officer will coordinate with certified animal control officers, shelters, and veterinarians, and is responsible for quarterly reporting to both the municipal governing body and the State Office of Veterinary Public Health. The Department of Health (DOH) will oversee these municipal programs and address complaints that are not resolved locally.

Additionally, the bill introduces a homeless cat program within each municipal animal control program, allowing for humane management of homeless cats through methods such as impoundment and veterinary care. The DOH will establish grant programs to assist municipalities, with an initial appropriation of $500,000. The bill also includes provisions for the State Office of Veterinary Public Health to intervene in municipal contracts for private animal control services if requirements are not met, and it outlines specific requirements for managing cat colonies, including the designation of caretakers and the spaying or neutering of unaltered cats. The DOH is granted authority to create necessary rules and regulations for effective implementation of these provisions statewide.