The "Compassion for Community Cats Law" seeks 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 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 fees and penalties collected under existing laws, a surcharge on dog licenses, and legislative appropriations. The bill also defines key terms such as "community cat" and "community cat caregiver," emphasizing the importance of humane treatment for these animals.

To further support the management of community cats, the bill 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. It also requires that any community cat brought to a shelter undergo spaying or neutering, ear-tipping, and rabies vaccination before being returned or transferred. The bill promotes the Trap, Neuter, Vaccinate, and Return (TNVR) method as a humane alternative to traditional catch and kill practices, aiming to control the feral cat population while alleviating the burden on animal shelters. Additionally, the bill repeals sections 2 and 3 of P.L.2011, c.142, which related to the Pet Sterilization Pilot Program, and amends eligibility criteria for the Animal Population Control Program to expand assistance options.

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