Acting New Jersey Governor Donald DiFrancesco to Sign Legislation Making Animal Cruelty a Felony in New Jersey

American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
Monday, 27 August 2001

New Jersey will become the 32nd state to make animal cruelty a felony offense.

Acting Governor Donald DiFrancesco is expected to sign legislation that will make severe forms of animal cruelty crimes of the fourth degree, a crime similar to a felony offense, under New Jersey law. New Jersey will become the 32nd state to make animal cruelty a felony offense. Animal abusers will now face fourth degree criminal charges with the possibility of an 18-month prison term and a $10,000 fine. In addition, juvenile animal cruelty offenders will be required to get mental health counseling.

Assemblyman Nicholas Asselta and Senator James Cafiero were prompted to introduce this legislation, which was aggressively lobbied for by The ASPCA, because of the rising number of animal cruelty incidents in southern New Jersey. Since the bill's introduction, there have been numerous animal cruelty incidents across the state. They include the Passaic county man who deliberately shot and killed his elderly father's beloved pet dog and the Bergen county woman who bound her dog's nose and legs with duct tape and abandoned him by the roadside to die. "This bill comes not a moment too soon. The connection between animal violence and human violence is well documented and it is laws like these that protect our community's animals and ultimately our citizens," says Dr. Larry Hawk, President and CEO of the ASPCA.

For more information, or to contact American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, see their website at: www.aspca.org