New Jersey

Updates about legal issues facing animals in the state

The Animal Legal Defense Fund works at the federal, state and local levels to protect the lives and advance the interests of animals.

Animal Protection Laws Ranking

Each year, the Animal Legal Defense Fund publishes its U.S. State Animal Protection Laws Rankings Report. Each state is ranked based on 20 different categories of animal protection.

New Jersey
Overall Rank: #14 (Top Tier)

Legislative Session

Active Legislation

An Act concerning the surgical declawing of cats and other animals (New Jersey)

An Act concerning the surgical declawing of cats and other animals (New Jersey)

S.1803/A.2578
This bill would prohibit the surgical declawing of cats and other animals in New Jersey, except in rare cases of medical necessity for the cat.
cat dog

Courtroom Animal Advocate Program (New Jersey)

A.1965/S.2211
Courtroom Animal Advocate Program (CAAP) laws allow advocates — supervised law students or volunteer lawyers — to advocate for animal victims in criminal cruelty cases.
Fox

Banning Killing Contests (New Jersey)

A.1142/S.2754
Proposed legislation would prohibit harassing or killing certain wildlife at competitive events.
black bear

An Act Concerning the Feeding of Black Bear (New Jersey)

A.1967/S.1891
This important “Bear Smart” bill aims to protect black bears in New Jersey by preventing unintentional feeding, a root cause of human-bear interactions.

Active Cases

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Take Action

Take action now to help animals in your state.

New Jersey: Help end painful and unnecessary cat declaw procedures!

New Jersey: Help end painful and unnecessary cat declaw procedures!

Ask your state representatives to support and co-sponsor legislation to prohibit the surgical declawing of cats in New Jersey. Help end this cruel practice today!
black bear

New Jersey: Bears Need Protection

Bill A.1967/S.1891 would prohibit the irresponsible practice of intentional and unintentional feeding of black bears, to reduce human-bear encounters.
cat and dog

New Jersey: Ask Your Legislators to Protect Animal Cruelty Victims!

Tell legislators that you support a bill that would create a Courtroom Animal Advocate Program (CAAP) in New Jersey.
Fox

New Jersey: Urge Lawmakers to Ban Wildlife Killing Contests

A.502 would prohibit harassing or killing certain wildlife at competitive events and is now being considered by the New Jersey Legislature.
cow

Stop Ag-Gag Laws

Undercover investigations and whistleblowers have exposed some of the worst aspects of factory farming, but Ag-Gag laws punish people who speak out about cruelty in animal agriculture. Voice your opposition.
dog

No More Puppy Mills

Puppy mill operators maximize their profits by producing large numbers of puppies as quickly as possible. As a result, unsanitary conditions, disease, and neglect are rampant. Sign our pledge to boycott puppy mills. Together we can end cruel puppy mills.
Passing Local Legislation: Retail Pet Sale Ban

Passing Local Legislation: Retail Pet Sale Ban

In this free webinar, we walk you through the basics of how to pass a retail pet sale bans in your community — a powerful way to fight back against puppy mills.
Passing Local Legislation: Prohibiting Animals in Circuses and Traveling Shows

Passing Local Legislation: Prohibiting Animals in Circuses and Traveling Shows

This webinar will focus on passing a local prohibition on animals used in circuses and other traveling shows.

Recent Victories

dog

Funds to Care for Animal Cruelty Victims (New Jersey)

New Jersey Cost of Care Bill (A.2354/S.981)
Currently, New Jersey animal care agencies bear the cost of caring for animal cruelty victims, an expense that can be financially overwhelming. The Cost of Care bill would address this problem.
rabbits

Prohibiting the Sale of Cosmetics Tested on Animals (New Jersey)

Prohibits the sale of cosmetics that were developed or manufactured using animal tests on or after March 1, 2022 (A.795/ S.1726)
The New Jersey Humane Cosmetics Act, A.795/ S.1726, prohibits the sale of cosmetics that were developed or manufactured using animal tests on or after March 1, 2022.
pig

Gestation and Veal Crate Ban (New Jersey)

A.1970/S.1298
Would ban gestation crates and veal crates, mandating mother pigs and calves have enough space to turn around freely, lie down, stand up, and fully extend their limbs.