The "Compassion for Community Cats Law" aims to improve the management of stray and feral cat populations in New Jersey by establishing the Compassion for Community Cats Fund within the Department of Health. This 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 fund will be financed through various sources, including fines for violations of the bill, a surcharge on dog licenses, and legislative appropriations. 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 exceptions for young or health-compromised cats.

Additionally, the bill introduces new definitions and clarifications regarding community cats and their caregivers, emphasizing responsible care and management. It includes provisions for civil penalties for non-compliance with the spaying and neutering requirement, which will also contribute to the Compassion for Community Cats Fund. The bill streamlines the process for managing community cats by allowing shelters to sterilize them immediately upon trapping, without a holding period. Furthermore, it repeals certain sections of previous legislation related to a pilot program for pet sterilization, ensuring that the new provisions are effectively implemented.

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