Bill > A2833

Introduced Session

This bill would supplement and amend the "New Jersey Unretrieved Animal Act," P.L.1979 c.354 (C.45:16-13 et seq.) to authorize veterinarians, when an animal is brought to a veterinarian in order to be euthanized, to instead transfer the animal to a suitable home or animal shelter, under certain circumstances. Specifically, the authorization would only apply if: (1) the animal is physically healthy and the request for euthanasia is being made for behavioral reasons; (2) the veterinarian determines that the behavior of the animal does not pose a permanent threat to the public safety and that the animal can be rehabilitated; and (3) the veterinarian informs the animal's owner prior to its placement in a suitable home or shelter that the animal is capable of being rehabilitated. The bill would specify that the owner's transfer of control of the animal for the purposes of euthanasia and the veterinarian's subsequent placement of the animal in a suitable home or animal shelter constitutes a permanent transfer of ownership of the animal. The bill would also relieve veterinarians of any further liability regarding an animal placed in a suitable home or animal shelter in conformance with the bill's provisions.

AI Summary

Committee Categories

Gregory Myhre (R)*,  Brian Rumpf (R)*, 

Introduced, Referred to Assembly Regulated Professions Committee (on 01/13/2026)

Official Document