A3218 —

A3218 AAN Statement 5/17/18 ASSEMBLY AGRICULTURE AND NATURAL RESOURCES COMMITTEE   STATEMENT TO   ASSEMBLY, No.

3218   STATE OF NEW JERSEY 218th LEGISLATURE   INTRODUCEDDATED: FEBRUARY 8, 2018     Sponsored by:

Assemblyman  MAY BOB17, ANDRZEJCZAK  District      1The (Atlantic,Assembly CapeAgriculture May and Cumberland)Natural Assemblyman Resources R.Committee favorably reports Assembly Bill No.

BRUCE3218. LAND District 1 (Atlantic, Cape May and Cumberland) Assemblyman  MATTHEW W.

MILAM      DistrictThis 1bill (Atlantic,would Capepermit Maya andmunicipality Cumberland)which  has  not  established  a SYNOPSISpublic     pound Permitsfor municipalitiesthe keeping of stray dogs, cats, or other domestic pets to contract with an animal foster care service for collecting, keeping for redemption, and destroying stray animals found within the municipality.  Under the bill, such service must be maintained by a humane societiessociety or other similar association, the members or volunteers of which engageprovide temporary shelter and care for animals pending their permanent adoption or admission to a pound.  The bill would require that the society or association not be organized for pecuniary profit and that it have continuously engaged in animal foster care.care for at least one year.

       CURRENTCurrently, VERSIONmunicipalities OFmay TEXTonly     contract Asfor introduced.such services with a pound maintained by a humane society or other similar association that is not organized for pecuniary profit and that has continuously maintained the pound for at least one year.  The bill permits municipalities to contract with either a pound or a pet foster care organization, or both organizations simultaneously.

   An Act concerning municipal contracts with humane societies and amending R.S.40:48-5.1.

       Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

       1.    R.S.40:48-5.1 is amended to read as follows:

     40:48-5.1.   Whenever in any municipality there shall not be established under municipal authority a public pound for the keeping of stray dogs, cats or other domestic pets, and there shall exist in the county wherein such municipality is situated or in any adjoining county, a pound maintained by any humane society or other similar association, not organized for pecuniary profit, which shall have continuously maintained said pound for at least [1] one year, or an animal foster care service maintained by any humane society or other similar association, not organized for pecuniary profit, for which members or volunteers provide temporary shelter and care for animals in their homes pending their permanent adoption or admission to a pound, which shall have continuously engaged in animal foster care for at least one year, such municipality shall enter into negotiations and may contract with [such] one or more [society] societies or [association] associations for any period not exceeding [5] five years, for collecting, keeping for redemption and destroying all such stray animals found within the municipal limits.

     Any provision of any law requiring advertisement for bids before the letting of any contract involving the expenditure of money shall not be applicable to the making of any such contract with such society or association.

(cf:

P.L.1977, c.88, s.1)        2.    This act shall take effect immediately.

    STATEMENT        This bill would permit a municipality which has not established a public pound for the keeping of stray dogs, cats, or other domestic pets to contract with an animal foster care service for collecting, keeping for redemption, and destroying stray animals found within the municipality.  Under the bill, such service must be maintained by a humane society or other similar association, the members or volunteers of which provide temporary shelter and care for animals pending their permanent adoption or admission to a pound.  The bill would require that the society or association not be organized for pecuniary profit and that it have continuously engaged in animal foster care for at least one year.

     Currently, municipalities may only contract for such services with a pound maintained by a humane society or other similar association that is not organized for pecuniary profit and that has continuously maintained the pound for at least one year.  The bill permits municipalities to contract with either a pound or a pet foster care organization, or both organizations simultaneously.