Amount Raised To Date: $2,182,726*
FY 94-95 - $658,275
FY 96 - $328,362
FY 97 - $333,317
FY 98 - $310,779
FY 99 - $275,911
FY 00 - $276,082
FY 01 -
FY 02 -
FY 03 -
FY 04-

*includes $10 annual renewal fees

Quantity sold To Date: 29,599
FY 94 - 3,493
FY 95 - 9,880
FY 96 - 4,640
FY 97 - 3,795
FY 98 - 2,716
FY 99 - 2,510
FY 00 - 2,565
FY 01 -
FY 02 -
FY 03 -
FY 04 -

Methods of Promoting the License Plate

The Animal Population group researched domestic animals as part of their project. As part of the study of the overpopulation of dogs and cats, the group studied New Jersey policies on the subject. The following is a small compilation on the status of various programs in the Garden State.

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With the population of stray and unwanted animals booming, some state legislators want to resuscitate a low cost spaying and neutering program that was nearly wiped out during the state budget crisis of the early 1990s.

By creating a twelve member council to monitor the way the state Health Department uses the Animal Population Control Fund, lawmakers hope to protect the fund from raid by state officials.

The legislation is a response to a decision made during the Jim Florio administration to divert 600,000 dollars from the fund to cope with a rabies scare, rendering the low cost spaying and neutering program inactive.

Despite recent attempts to rebuild the program, such as selling "Animal Friendly" license plates, Health department officials say steps need to be taken to make sure the fund remains dedicated to stemming pet overpopulation. The license plate program is optional and the main source of income for the fund is a three dollar surcharge on license for unaltered pets.

Unspayed and un-neutered animals lead to the reproduction of unwanted dogs and cats. As many as 75,000 dogs and cats are put to sleep each year because shelters cannot place them in homes.

But many people who adopt pets cannot afford to pay the 70 - 100 dollars for the sterilizations. Until 1990, the state would spay and neuter pets owned by welfare recipients for ten dollars. The adopting pets form shelters paid for twenty dollars.

The decade old program has helped reduce the number of impounded animals put to sleep and help boost adoptions. In 1992, a banner year, the program subsidized nearly 19,000 spayings, but by 1993, after the fund was raided, the number plummeted to fewer than 3,000.

The proposed Domestic Companion Animal Council would be composed of veterinarians and animal welfare professionals.

The bill passed the Assembly last December. The Senate Agriculture Committee sent it to the senate floor "without recommendation" on January 20, after some committee members predicted the bill would create more bureaucracy.

STATE ANIMAL WELFARE TASK FORCE

On July 25, 2002, Governor James E. McGreevey signed an Executive Order creating the Animal Welfare Task Force and charging it to do the following:

• Examine the current laws concerning animal abuse and neglect, animal population control and animal welfare;
• Examine the manner in which the anti-cruelty laws are enforced throughout the State;
• Examine the status of population control and the animal shelter systems in the State;
• Recommend changes to the laws and regulations of this State so as to protect the State’s animals from inhumane treatment, improve the enforcement of anti-cruelty laws, and address the problem of unwanted and euthanized animals in the State.
  
  
  New Jersey Animal Welfare Task Force Report can be reviewed here:
  http://www.state.nj.us/animalwelfaretaskforcereport.pdf