By Art Gallagher | MoreMonmouthMusings.com
A bill introduced in the New Jersey Senate by Senator Joseph Vitale (D-Middlesex) last week would require that non-profit veterinary services provide services only to animals that are owned by people who are receiving public assistance like food stamps, section 8 housing and welfare.
The bill also requires that all for profit veterinary corporations, partnerships or associations be owned only by licensed veterinarians.
S-297 was referred to the Senate Commerce Committee. The Committee is scheduled to meet on January 27.
The Animal Welfare Association (AWA) said that if the bill becomes law their pet clinic and other non-profit pet clinics in New Jersey could not:
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Tamara Chastain
You can send a message to help stop the bill here:
http://www.senatenj.com/index.php/action-center/act-now-tell-senate-dems-to-allow-veterinary-care-for-all-animals/25330
Dumb idea.
Seems like a bad idea.
There are plenty of families on a tight budget who are not on public assistance but need a hand with the vet bills. For them low cost veterinarians or low cost immunizations make the difference between keeping their pet or turning it in to the pound. Talk to some rescue places and see how many pets are turned in because the family had money problems.
Why not rename the the Bill the “2016 For -Profit Veterinary Clinic Protection Bill”? Because THAT is what it is all about!