New Jersey-2010-S2852-Introduced

An Act concerning animal cruelty and designated as Patrick's Law, and amending R.S.4:22-17 and R.S.4:22-26.

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

1. R.S.4:22-17 is amended to read as follows:

4:22-17. a. A person who shall:

(1) Overdrive, overload, drive when overloaded, overwork, [deprive of necessary sustenance,] abuse, or needlessly kill a living animal or creature;

(2) Cause or procure, by any direct or indirect means, including but not limited to through the use of another living animal or creature, any such acts to be done; or

(3) [Inflict] Except as otherwise provided for under paragraph (1) or (2) of subsection b. of this section, inflict unnecessary cruelty upon a living animal or creature, by any direct or indirect means, including but not limited to through the use of another living animal or creature; or unnecessarily fail to provide a living animal or creature of which the person has charge either as an owner or otherwise with proper food, drink, shelter or protection from the weather; or leave it unattended in a vehicle under inhumane conditions adverse to the health or welfare of the living animal or creature--

Shall be guilty of a disorderly persons offense, and notwithstanding the provisions of N.J.S.2C:43-3 to the contrary, for every such offense shall be fined not less than $250 nor more than $1,000, or be imprisoned for a term of not more than six months, or both, in the discretion of the court. A violator of this subsection shall also be subject to the provisions of subsection c. and, if appropriate, subsection d. of this section.

b. A person who shall purposely, knowingly, or recklessly:

(1) Torment [,] or torture [, maim] a living animal or creature in any manner, including, but not limited to, failing to feed or care for the animal or creature until it is emaciated or near death from lack of food or other care;

(2) Place a living animal or creature inside any container capable of suffocating the animal or creature or concealing it from necessary attention to sustain life, including, but not limited to, a bag, box, or other semi-airtight or airtight container;

(3) Abandon a living animal or creature without care from the owner or a designated care provider or in any location other than the premises owned and occupied by the owner of the animal or creature or by the designated care provider;

(4) Maim, hang, poison, unnecessarily or cruelly beat, or needlessly mutilate a living animal or creature; or

[(2)] (5) Cause or procure, by any direct or indirect means, including but not limited to through the use of another living animal or creature, any such acts to be done --

Shall be guilty of a crime of the fourth degree.

If the animal or creature is cruelly killed or dies as a result of a violation of this subsection, or the person has a prior conviction for a violation of this subsection, the person shall be guilty of a crime of the third degree.

A violator of this subsection shall also be subject to the provisions of subsection c. and, if appropriate, subsection d. of this section.

c. For a violation of subsection a. or b. of this section, in addition to imposing any other appropriate penalties established for a crime of the third degree, crime of the fourth degree, or disorderly persons offense, as the case may be, pursuant to Title 2C of the New Jersey Statutes, the court shall impose a term of community service of up to 30 days, and may direct that the term of community service be served in providing assistance to the New Jersey Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, a district (county) society for the prevention of cruelty to animals, or any other recognized organization concerned with the prevention of cruelty to animals or the humane treatment and care of animals, or to a municipality's animal control or animal population control program. The court also may require the violator to pay restitution or otherwise reimburse any costs for food, drink, shelter, or veterinary care or treatment, or other costs, incurred by any agency, entity, or organization investigating the violation, including but not limited to the New Jersey Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, a district (county) society for the prevention of cruelty to animals, any other recognized organization concerned with the prevention of cruelty to animals or the humane treatment and care of animals, or a local or State governmental entity.

d. If a juvenile is adjudicated delinquent for an act which, if committed by an adult, would constitute a disorderly persons offense pursuant to subsection a. of this section or a crime of the third degree or crime of the fourth degree pursuant to subsection b. of this section, the court also shall order the juvenile to receive mental health counseling by a licensed psychologist or therapist named by the court for a period of time to be prescribed by the licensed psychologist or therapist.

(cf: P.L.2005, c.105, s.1)

2. R.S.4:22-26 is amended to read as follows:

4:22-26. A person who shall:

a. (1) Overdrive, overload, drive when overloaded, overwork, [deprive of necessary sustenance,] abuse, or needlessly kill a living animal or creature, or cause or procure, by any direct or indirect means, including but not limited to through the use of another living animal or creature, any such acts to be done;

(2) (a) Torment [,] or torture [, maim] a living animal or creature, including, but not limited to, failing to feed or care for the animal or creature until it is emaciated or near death from lack of food or other care;

(b) Place a living animal or creature inside any container capable of suffocating the animal or creature or concealing it from necessary attention to sustain life, including, but not limited to, a bag, box, or other semi-airtight or airtight container;

(c) Abandon a living animal or creature without care from the owner or a designated care provider or in any location other than the premises owned and occupied by the owner of the animal or creature or by the designated care provider;

(d) Maim, hang, poison, unnecessarily or cruelly beat, or needlessly mutilate a living animal or creature [,] ; or [cause]

(e) Cause or procure, by any direct or indirect means, including but not limited to through the use of another living animal or creature, any such acts to be done;

(3) Cruelly kill, or cause or procure, by any direct or indirect means, including but not limited to through the use of another living animal or creature, the cruel killing of, a living animal or creature, or otherwise cause or procure, by any direct or indirect means, including but not limited to through the use of another living animal or creature, the death of a living animal or creature from commission of any act described in paragraph (2) of this subsection;

b. (Deleted by amendment, P.L.2003, c.232).

c. [Inflict] Except as otherwise provided for under subparagraphs (a), (c), or (e) of paragraph (2) of subsection a. of this section, inflict unnecessary cruelty upon a living animal or creature, by any direct or indirect means, including but not limited to through the use of another living animal or creature; or unnecessarily fail to provide a living animal or creature of which the person has charge either as an owner or otherwise with proper food, drink, shelter or protection from the weather; or leave it unattended in a vehicle under inhumane conditions adverse to the health or welfare of the living animal or creature;

d. Receive or offer for sale a horse that is suffering from abuse or neglect, or which by reason of disability, disease, abuse or lameness, or any other cause, could not be worked, ridden or otherwise used for show, exhibition or recreational purposes, or kept as a domestic pet without violating the provisions of this article;

e. Keep, use, be connected with or interested in the management of, or receive money or other consideration for the admission of a person to, a place kept or used for the purpose of fighting or baiting a living animal or creature;

f. Be present and witness, pay admission to, encourage, aid or assist in an activity enumerated in subsection e. of this section;

g. Permit or suffer a place owned or controlled by him to be used as provided in subsection e. of this section;

h. Carry, or cause to be carried, a living animal or creature in or upon a vehicle or otherwise, in a cruel or inhumane manner;

i. Use a dog or dogs for the purpose of drawing or helping to draw a vehicle for business purposes;

j. Impound or confine or cause to be impounded or confined in a pound or other place a living animal or creature, and shall fail to supply it during such confinement with a sufficient quantity of good and wholesome food and water;

k. Abandon a maimed, sick, infirm or disabled animal or creature to die in a public place;

l. Willfully sell, or offer to sell, use, expose, or cause or permit to be sold or offered for sale, used or exposed, a horse or other animal having the disease known as glanders or farcy, or other contagious or infectious disease dangerous to the health or life of human beings or animals, or who shall, when any such disease is beyond recovery, refuse, upon demand, to deprive the animal of life;

m. Own, operate, manage or conduct a roadside stand or market for the sale of merchandise along a public street or highway; or a shopping mall, or a part of the premises thereof; and keep a living animal or creature confined, or allowed to roam in an area whether or not the area is enclosed, on these premises as an exhibit; except that this subsection shall not be applicable to: a pet shop licensed pursuant to P.L.1941, c.151 (C.4:19-15.1 et seq.); a person who keeps an animal, in a humane manner, for the purpose of the protection of the premises; or a recognized breeders' association, a 4-H club, an educational agricultural program, an equestrian team, a humane society or other similar charitable or nonprofit organization conducting an exhibition, show or performance;

n. Keep or exhibit a wild animal at a roadside stand or market located along a public street or highway of this State; a gasoline station; or a shopping mall, or a part of the premises thereof;

o. Sell, offer for sale, barter or give away or display live baby chicks, ducklings or other fowl or rabbits, turtles or chameleons which have been dyed or artificially colored or otherwise treated so as to impart to them an artificial color;

p. Use any animal, reptile, or fowl for the purpose of soliciting any alms, collections, contributions, subscriptions, donations, or payment of money except in connection with exhibitions, shows or performances conducted in a bona fide manner by recognized breeders' associations, 4-H clubs or other similar bona fide organizations;

q. Sell or offer for sale, barter, or give away living rabbits, turtles, baby chicks, ducklings or other fowl under two months of age, for use as household or domestic pets;

r. Sell, offer for sale, barter or give away living baby chicks, ducklings or other fowl, or rabbits, turtles or chameleons under two months of age for any purpose not prohibited by subsection q. of this section and who shall fail to provide proper facilities for the care of such animals;

s. Artificially mark sheep or cattle, or cause them to be marked, by cropping or cutting off both ears, cropping or cutting either ear more than one inch from the tip end thereof, or half cropping or cutting both ears or either ear more than one inch from the tip end thereof, or who shall have or keep in the person's possession sheep or cattle, which the person claims to own, marked contrary to this subsection unless they were bought in market or of a stranger;

t. Abandon a domesticated animal;

u. For amusement or gain, cause, allow, or permit the fighting or baiting of a living animal or creature;

v. Own, possess, keep, train, promote, purchase, or knowingly sell a living animal or creature for the purpose of fighting or baiting that animal or creature;

w. Gamble on the outcome of a fight involving a living animal or creature;

x. Knowingly sell or barter or offer for sale or barter, at wholesale or retail, the fur or hair of a domestic dog or cat or any product made in whole or in part from the fur or hair of a domestic dog or cat, unless such fur or hair for sale or barter is from a commercial grooming establishment or a veterinary office or clinic or is for use for scientific research;

y. Knowingly sell or barter or offer for sale or barter, at wholesale or retail, for human consumption, the flesh of a domestic dog or cat or any product made in whole or in part from the flesh of a domestic dog or cat;

z. Surgically debark or silence a dog in violation of section 1 or 2 of P.L.2002, c.102 (C.4:19-38 or C.4:19-39);

aa. Use a live pigeon, fowl or other bird for the purpose of a target, or to be shot at either for amusement or as a test of skill in marksmanship, except that this subsection and subsections bb. and cc. shall not apply to the shooting of game;

bb. Shoot at a bird used as described in subsection aa. of this section, or is a party to such shooting; or

cc. Lease a building, room, field or premises, or knowingly permit the use thereof for the purposes of subsection aa. or bb. of this section --

Shall forfeit and pay a sum according to the following schedule, to be sued for and recovered, with costs, in a civil action by any person in the name of the New Jersey Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals or a county society for the prevention of cruelty to animals, as appropriate, or, in the name of the municipality if brought by a certified animal control officer or animal cruelty investigator:

For a violation of subsection e., f., g., u., v., w., or z. of this section or of paragraph (3) of subsection a. of this section, or for a second or subsequent violation of any subparagraph of paragraph (2) of subsection a. of this section, a sum of not less than $3,000 nor more than $5,000;

For a violation of subsection l. of this section or for a first violation of any subparagraph of paragraph (2) of subsection a. of this section, a sum of not less than $1,000 nor more than $3,000;

For a violation of subsection x. or y. of this section, a sum of not less than $500 nor more than $1,000 for each domestic dog or cat fur or fur or hair product or domestic dog or cat carcass or meat product;

For a violation of subsection t. of this section, a sum of not less than $500 nor more than $1,000, but if the violation occurs on or near a highway, a mandatory sum of $1,000;

For a violation of subsection c., d., h., j., k., aa., bb., or cc. of this section or of paragraph (1) of subsection a. of this section, a sum of not less than $250 nor more than $1,000; and

For a violation of subsection i., m., n., o., p., q., r., or s. of this section, a sum of not less than $250 nor more than $500.

(cf: P.L.2005, c.372, s.16)

3. This act shall take effect immediately.

STATEMENT

This bill, designated as Patrick's Law, specifies that tormenting or torturing a living animal includes failing to feed or care for it until it is emaciated or near death from lack of food or other care. Such an act or causing such an act to be done would be a crime of the fourth degree, and if the animal died as a result, it would be a crime of the third degree. The person would also be liable for a civil penalty of $1,000 to $3,000 for the first offense and $3,000 to $5,000 for the second or subsequent offense.

The bill further specifies that the following acts of cruelty (or causing such acts to be done) would be a crime of the fourth degree, and if the animal died as a result, it would be a crime of the third degree:

1) placing a living animal inside any container capable of suffocating the animal or concealing it from necessary attention to sustain life, including, but not limited to, a bag, box, or other semi-airtight or airtight container;

2) abandoning a living animal, without care from the owner or a designated care provider, in any location other than the premises owned and occupied by the owner of the animal or by the designated care provider.

The person would also be liable for a civil penalty of $1,000 to $3,000 for the first offense and $3,000 to $5,000 for the second or subsequent offense.

Crimes of the fourth degree are punishable by up to 18 months imprisonment, a fine of up to $10,000, or both. Crimes of the third degree are punishable by three to five years imprisonment, a fine of up to $15,000, or both.

This bill is being introduced in response to the treatment of Patrick, a pit bull in Newark, NJ, which after being starved to an extremely emaciated condition, was placed in a garbage bag, and dropped down a garbage chute in an apartment complex in that city. The dog is now being cared for and recuperating after a maintenance person in the building collecting garbage noticed movement in one of the garbage bags and found the dog still alive inside.