Bill > S2599

Introduced Session

This bill requires any cat, dog, or ferret used for product testing or research conducted or contracted by a company, corporation, manufacturer, or contract testing facility in the State to be offered to an animal rescue organization or private individual for adoption when the testing or research is concluded, if the animal is assessed to be suitable for adoption. Current law limits circumstances under which animal product testing or research may be conducted by manufacturers and contract testing facilities. Current law also requires, pursuant to the "Homes for Animal Heroes Act," P.L.2019, c.414 (C.18A:3B-85), that cats and dogs used for educational, research, or scientific purposes by an institution of higher education or a research institution that contracts with an institution of higher education for such use of cats and dogs, to be assessed for the suitability of adoption, and if suitable, to be offered for adoption. The bill expands the "Homes for Animal Heroes Act" to include testing or research using ferrets and to provide for adoption of ferrets used in that way. The bill directs the Office of Veterinary Public Health (OVPH) in the Department of Health (DOH) to establish procedures for documenting the assessment and disposition of any cat, dog, or ferret used by a company, corporation, manufacturer, contract facility, institution of higher education, or a research institution for such purposes. The bill authorizes the OVPH to monitor compliance with the procedures and enforce the provisions of section 1 of the bill and section 1 of P.L.2019, c.414 (C.18A:3B-85), concerning the assessment of the suitability of animals for adoption and the requirements to offer suitable animals for adoption. The bill further requires that each company, corporation, manufacturer, or contract testing facility that is subject to the bill, and each institution of higher education and research institution that is subject to the "Homes for Animal Heroes Act" to register with the OVPH when undertaking animal testing with cats, dogs, or ferrets, and to report to the OVPH: 1) the type and number of animals being used; 2) the date on which the testing or research is completed or upon which the animal is no longer being used in the testing or research; 3) an assessment of the condition of any animal no longer being used in the testing or research and its suitability for adoption; 4) the disposition of the animal, including the name and contact information of the animal rescue organization with which, or the animal rescue organization facility in which, the animal is placed; and 5) if an animal assessed as suitable for adoption is not adopted, documentation of the good faith effort to place the animal with an animal rescue organization or in an animal rescue organization facility, and any effort to offer the animal for private adoption. The bill provides that private individuals who have adopted animals would not have to be identified but requires documentation of which animals were adopted by private individuals. The bill establishes civil penalties for noncompliance with the bill's provisions and requirements, and the provisions of the "Homes for Animal Heroes Act." The bill provides for a civil penalty of $10,000 for a first offense, and $50,000 for a second offense, to be collected in a summary proceeding brought by the DOH pursuant to the "Penalty Enforcement Law of 1999," P.L.1999, c.274 (C.2A:58-10 et seq.). Upon finding of a third offense, the DOH is required to institute an action for an injunction to prohibit the company, corporation, manufacturer, contract testing facility, institution of higher education, or research institution from conducting animal testing. The bill provides that the Superior Court would have jurisdiction for enforcing the "Penalty Enforcement Law of 1999" and for imposing an injunction for a third violation. Finally, the bill requires the DOH to maintain a registry of animal rescue organizations and animal rescue organization facilities, directs the DOH to establish a database of those animal rescue organizations and facilities that accept animals that have been used in testing or research, and requires a company, corporation, manufacturer, contract facility, institution of higher education, or research institution, as applicable, to contact an animal rescue organization or animal rescue organization facility listed in the database whenever a cat, dog, or ferret used in testing or research is determined to be suitable for adoption.

AI Summary

Committee Categories

Vin Gopal (D)*,  Mike Testa (R)*,  Tony Bucco (R),  Renee Burgess (D),  John Burzichelli (D),  Nilsa Cruz-Perez (D),  Patrick Diegnan (D),  Linda Greenstein (D),  Owen Henry (R),  Jim Holzapfel (R),  Paul Moriarty (D),  Raj Mukherji (D),  Declan O'Scanlon (R),  Joe Pennacchio (R),  Vince Polistina (R),  Troy Singleton (D),  Brian Stack (D),  Latham Tiver (R),  Andrew Zwicker (D), 

Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Economic Growth Committee (on 01/13/2026)

Official Document