AKC Government Relations has learned that New Jersey Senate Bill 63, which seeks to repeal consumer protection laws for New Jersey pet purchasers and restrict individuals’ choice of a purpose-bred dog, will likely be considered by the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee on Monday, June 20. While a committee substitute may be introduced at Monday’s meeting, it is imperative that New Jersey purebred dog enthusiasts, owners and breeders contact the members of the Budget and Appropriations Committee and respectfully urge they vote against the bill as currently worded.
SB 63 remains a radical proposal that would restrict responsible and regulated breeders while requiring pet stores to source animals only from unregulated “rescue” distributors. The AKC strongly supports responsible rescue, but opposes repealing consumer protections for pet buyers and limiting individuals’ freedom of choice when seeking a pet for their family.
A better solution is to ensure that consumers are educated, understand the demands of responsible ownership, have access to a variety of pets so that they can make an educated selection for life-long success, and can avail themselves of consumer protections should they need to.
The amended version of SB 63:
- Repeals New Jersey’s Pet Purchase Protection Act. Because New Jersey’s current Pet Purchase Protection Act provides consumer protection provisions in line with AKC’s position statement on Protection for Puppy Purchasers, we oppose repeal of the Pet Purchase Protection Act as SB 63 currently provides.
- Requires sales of dogs to be face-to-face. An exception is provided only for transfers of dogs between breeders done exclusively for the preservation of the bloodline of the dog, provided that a breeder does not make more than five such transfers each year. The bill further requires records of such exempted sales to be submitted to the Department of Health prior to sale.
- Limits pet shops to selling dogs sourced only from animal shelters and rescues, yet does not require shelters and rescues to supply pet shops with animals. Combined with a loss of consumer protections, this will dramatically reduce the ability of New Jersey residents to purchase a pet of their choice, much less one with the predictable type, mandated care, and substantiated health backgrounds that purebred pets provide. Many communities lack sufficient local breeders to meet the demand for the specific pets with predictable characteristics and substantiated health histories, as well as sourced from facilities subject to USDA and state animal welfare standards, desired by local residents. When consumers cannot acquire a pet that is an appropriate fit for their lifestyle, an animal is more likely to be returned to the shelter/rescue system. Furthermore, this proposal fails to consider the public health impact of animals sourced exclusively through the shelter/rescue system.
- Continues to include more than two pages of misleading legislative findings. Out-of-date information, questionable statistics, and discredited conjecture that assail dog breeders and other responsible and regulated entities must not become part of New Jersey statute and must be removed from SB 63.
Click here to view AKC’s May 31 alert on SB 63.
Click here to view AKC’s March 9 alert on SB 63.
Click here to view AKC’s February 29 alert on SB 63.
Click here to view AKC’s February 9 alert on SB 63.
Click here to view AKC’s February 3 alert on SB 63.
WHAT YOU CAN DO:
New Jersey residents are strongly encouraged to contact the members of the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee and urge them to oppose SB 63 as currently worded, and to allow sufficient time for impacted constituents and dog experts to study and comment on any proposed amendments before they are voted on.
Please use the bulleted talking points above as reasons to oppose.
State Senator Paul A. Sarlo, Committee Chairman
Phone: (201) 804-8118
Email: SenSarlo@njleg.org
State Senator Brian P. Stack, Committee Vice Chairman
Phone: (201) 721-5263
Email: SenStack@njleg.org
State Senator Jennifer Beck
Phone: (732) 933-1591
Email: SenBeck@njleg.org
State Senator Anthony R. Bucco
Phone: (973) 627-9700
Email: SenBucco@njleg.org
State Senator Sandra B. Cunningham
Phone: (201) 451-5100
Email: SenCunningham@njleg.org
State Senator Patrick J. Diegnan
Phone: (908) 757-1677
[No email available]
State Senator Linda R. Greenstein
Phone: (609) 395-9911
Email: SenGreenstein@njleg.org
State Senator Kevin J. O’Toole
Phone: (973) 237-1360
Email: SenOToole@njleg.org
State Senator Steven V. Oroho
Phone: (973) 300-0200, (973) 300-1744
Email: SenOroho@njleg.org
State Senator Nellie Pou
Phone: (973) 247-1555
Email: SenPou@njleg.org
State Senator M. Teresa Ruiz
Phone: (973) 484-1000
Email: SenRuiz@njleg.org
State Senator Samuel D. Thompson
Phone: (732) 607-7580
Email: SenThompson@njleg.org
State Senator Jeff Van Drew
Phone: (609) 465-0700
Email: SenVanDrew@njleg.org
AKC will continue to provide updates on SB 63 as developments warrant. For more information on the status of and problems with SB 63, contact AKC’s Government Relations Department at (919) 816-3720, or email doglaw@akc.org.
AKC Government Relations has learned that New Jersey Senate Bill 63, which seeks to repeal consumer protection laws for New Jersey pet purchasers and restrict individuals choice of a purpose-bred dog, will likely be considered by the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee on Monday, June 20.