'Norman's Law' Architect In Attendance As State Assembly Approves Puppy Mill Ban

The architect of “Norman’s Law” was on the assembly floor to see the statewide version of the law passed last week.

Camden County Freeholder Jeff Nash joined Majority Leader Lou Greenwald and Assemblywoman Pam Lampitt on the Assembly floor as the vote passed last Thursday.

The bill was previously passed by the State Senate, and will now go to Gov. Chris Christie for final consideration.

State Sen. Ray Lesniak (D-20) sponsored the State Senate version of the bill. Following the vote, he told WPIX 11 that if Christie doesn’t sign the bill, the legislature would override his veto.

The proposal prohibits pet stores from selling animals from breeders operating inhumane puppy mills.
It follows the ordinance already in place in in each of the Camden County’s 37 municipalities prohibiting pet stores operating in Camden County from selling animals from disreputable breeders.

The initial proposal was passed at the county level in 2015. It was named after Nash’s dog, Norman, who Nash rescued from a local shelter.

“It was an honor to press the vote buttons on the legislators’ behalf in favor of a bill named after Norman,” Nash said. “The state Senate previously approved the measure, so now it’s onto the Governor’s office for signature to become the most progressive and toughest anti-puppy mill legislation in the nation."

The proposal amends the "Pet Purchase Protection Act" to include banning the sale of animals from breeders and puppy mills. The act initially went into effect in 2015, but only covered the sale of sick animals supplied by puppy mills, according to the New York Post. The act was amended after legislators realized puppy mills were still selling dogs and cats to pet stores, but not providing information on the health of the animals.

“According to the last census, as many as 70 percent of Camden County households include either a dog or a cat," Nash said. "Many families looking to provide a loving home for a dog have no idea where the pet they purchased came from. Their good intentions keep this cruel industry in business, so we want to help pet owners make more informed decisions.”

The Camden County Health Department’s Division of Environmental Health regularly inspects all pet stores within Camden County. Their review will also include determining the origin of the pets for sale. When they find any violations, they will report their findings to local animal control officers and have the ability to shut down the operation.

“As a pet owner I find it incomprehensible how anyone could treat an innocent dog so poorly just to make a profit,” Nash said. “Why not consider rescuing a dog from a local shelter instead? That is where I adopted my best friend, Norman.”

The Camden County Animal Shelter is located at 125 County House Road in the Blackwood section of Gloucester Township. It is open Tuesday to Thursday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Friday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The attached image of Camden County Freeholder Jeff Nash on the Assembly floor during the vote was provided.