Monday, January 14, 2019
New Jersey Assembly Bill 4552 seeks to prohibit the leasing of dogs and cats. The American Kennel Club (AKC) is concerned that the bill may impact the ability of responsible breeders to enter into limited-term leases for the purposes of breeding. Such leases have historically been used by AKC’s preservationist breeders and enthusiasts in collaborating on future generations of purebred dogs. The AKC encourages all concerned New Jersey residents to contact the members of the New Jersey Assembly Consumer Affairs Committee before Thursday, January 17, and respectfully urge them to include an explicit exception for purebred dog leased for breeding purposes.
The American Kennel Club supports a ban on predatory pet leasing schemes that victimize potential owners, undermine a lifetime commitment to a pet, and do not confer the rights and responsibilities associated with legal ownership of a pet. The AKC is concerned, however, the A4552 would not only ban those lease-to-own arrangements, but also leases commonly utilized by purebred dog fanciers and enthusiasts to preserve and continue particular bloodlines and breeds of dogs.
As a purebred dog registry, the American Kennel Club has historically allowed leases to be recorded in limited circumstances, i.e., expressly for the purposes of breeding. Under this system, for example, a lessee of a female would be considered the breeder of a litter the female produced during the limited term of the lease and while in that person’s possession. In this limited context, leases are an important tool used by preservationist purebred breeders and enthusiasts in collaborating on future generations of purebred dogs and sanctioned by AKC. Because the current wording of A 4552 may also impact these types of leases under New Jersey law, the American Kennel Club is deeply concerned with the proposal. The AKC is respectfully requesting that the bill be amended to explicitly preserve the right of purebred dog fanciers and enthusiasts to engage in the leasing of dogs for the express and limited, in scope and in term, purpose of breeding.
WHAT YOU CAN DO:
- Concerned New Jersey residents are strongly encouraged to join with AKC in contacting the members of the Assembly Consumer Affairs Committee before their Thursday, January 17, meeting. Urge them to amend A4552 to include a specific exception that will preserve the right of purebred dog fanciers and enthusiasts to engage in the leasing of dogs for the express and limited, in scope and in term, purpose of breeding. Scroll down for committee contact information.
- New Jersey residents are also encouraged to attend the Thursday, January 17, meeting to urge that A4552 be amended as requested by AKC. The meeting is scheduled to begin at 10AM in Committee Room 13, 4th Floor, State House Annex, 131 W. State Street, Trenton, NJ 08608.
For more information on this or other pending New Jersey legislation impacting dogs or responsible dog breeders and owners, contact AKC’s Government Relations Department at (919) 816-3720 or doglaw@akc.org.
Committee Contact Information:
Assemblyman Paul D. Moriarty, Chairman
129 Johnson Road
Suite 1
Turnersville, NJ 08012
(856) 232-6700
AsmMoriarty@njleg.org
Assemblywoman Annette Chaparro
80 River St.
2nd Floor
Hoboken, NJ 07030
(201) 683-7917
AswChaparro@njleg.org
Assemblyman Sean T. Kean
1967 Highway 34
Bldg. C
Suite 202
Wall Township, NJ 07719
(732) 974-0400
AsmKean@njleg.org
Assemblyman Pedro Mejia
1 Harmon Plaza
Suite 205
Secaucus, NJ 07094
(201) 770-1303
AsmMejia@njleg.org
Assemblywoman Verlina Reynolds-Jackson
144 West State St.
Trenton, NJ 08608
(609) 571-9638
aswreynoldsjackson@njleg.org
Assemblyman Kevin J. Rooney
1211 Hamburg Turnpike
Suite 301
Wayne, NJ 07470
(973) 237-1362
AsmRooney@njleg.org