WHEREAS, the State
of New Jersey has an interest in the humane and proper treatment of animals;
and
WHEREAS, the State
of New Jersey has an interest in addressing the overpopulation of unwanted,
abandoned and feral animals and in reducing the number of animals that
are euthanized each year; and
WHEREAS, the State
of New Jersey has an interest in preventing cruelty to animals and enforcing
animal cruelty laws; and
WHEREAS, the State
Commission of Investigation has found inadequacies with respect to the
care and housing of unwanted and abandoned animals; and
WHEREAS, the State
Commission of Investigation has found significant failures with respect
to the enforcement of animal cruelty laws by the Societies for the Prevention
of Cruelty to Animals in New Jersey; and
WHEREAS, the State
of New Jersey has an interest in engaging the talents and expertise of
capable individuals from throughout the State to address these important
state interests;
NOW, THEREFORE,
I, JAMES E. McGREEVEY, Governor of the State of New Jersey, by virtue
of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and by the Statutes
of this State, do hereby ORDER and DIRECT:
1. There is hereby
established an Animal Welfare Task Force, herein referred to as the
Task Force.
2. The Task Force
shall consist no more than 30 members appointed by the Governor. The
members shall be selected from among individuals with knowledge or experience
in the areas of animal treatment, population control and animal welfare.
The Governor shall select the Chair.
3. The Task Force
shall do the following:
a. Examine the
current laws concerning animal abuse and neglect, animal population
control, and animal welfare.
b. Examine the
manner in which the anti-cruelty laws are enforced throughout the
State.
c. Examine the
status of population control and the animal shelter systems in the
State.
d. Recommend
changes to the laws and regulations of this State so as protect the
State's animals from inhumane treatment, improve the enforcement of
anti-cruelty laws, and address the problem of unwanted, abandoned
and euthanized animals in the State.
4. The Task Force
shall issue its report to the Governor, the Attorney General and the
Commissioner of the Department of Health and Senior Services within
24 months of its initial meeting.
5. The Task Force
is authorized to call upon any department, office, division or agency
of this State to supply it with records and other information, personnel
or assistance it deems necessary to discharge its duties under this
Order. Each department, officer, division or agency of this State is
hereby required, to the extent not inconsistent with law, to cooperate
with the Task Force and to furnish it with such records, information,
personnel and assistance as is necessary to accomplish the purposes
of this Order.
7. This Order
shall take effect immediately.
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GIVEN, under
my hand and seal this 25th day of July in the Year of Our Lord,
Two Thousand and Two, and of the Independence of the United States,
the Two Hundred and Twenty-Seventh.
/s/ James
E. McGreevey
Governor
[seal]
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Attest:
/s/ Paul A. Levinsohn
Chief Counsel to
the Governor