NJ Bill S3558, which strips the NJ Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (NJSPCA) of law enforcement authority, passed both legislative houses and only awaits the Governor’s signature or his failure to veto before becoming law.  As previously discussed, this measure is long overdue, as animal rights advocates, animal welfare organizations, animal-related businesses and animal owners all agree.

Two NJ State Commission Reports concluded that the “gun-carrying wannabe cops” who serve as agents of the NJSPCA, are running a dysfunctional organization that fails to enforce the animal cruelty laws the agency was established to enforce more than a decade ago.

Based on my experience, first as a private veterinary practitioner, then as the Director, Division of Animal Health, New Jersey Department of Agriculture and the N.J. State Veterinarian, and currently as an animal law attorney, the NJSPCA fails to adequately and promptly investigate animal cruelty cases, and instead abuses its law enforcement authority by impermissibly intimidating and victimizing animal owners and welfare organizations to advance its own interests and not for any legitimate animal protective purpose.

That is why it is long past time to amend and update the State’s animal cruelty laws and place law enforcement authority solely within local and county law enforcement agencies.

For those agents and members of the NJSPCA who are dedicated to preventing animal cruelty, there will be opportunities to provide assistance under the new legal scheme.

Hopefully, the Governor will end his term with the historic and long-awaited act of advancing the protection the State provides to animals by requiring professional law enforcement agencies to enforce the animal cruelty laws instead of the ineffective volunteer organization that has failed to do so for years.

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