Cross Reporting Ordinance

People who abuse animals are likely to abuse people, too.

We are proud to announce an East Coast first:

June 2005
CROSS REPORTING
“Sarah’s Law” passes in Camden, NJ!

The link between animal abuse, child abuse and domestic violence is real…and often deadly. The Cross Reporting ordinance requires the city’s Police Department to report signs of animal neglect or abuse to the city’s Animal Care & Control Department and for animal control to report signs of human abuse to police.


June 9, 2005

AN ORDINANCE MANDATING CROSS REPORTING OF THE CITY OF CAMDEN’S POLICE, FIRE AND ANIMAL CONTROL AS IT RELATES TO THEIR INDIVIDUAL INVESTIGATIONS OR OBSERVATIONS OF CHILD NEGLECT OR ABUSE AND ANIMAL NEGLECT OR ABUSE.


        WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Camden seeks to promote the health, safety and general welfare of the residents and their companion animals by the initiation of cross reporting. The Council finds the neglect and abuse of innocent children and helpless animals is a pervasive problem and that conduct or conditions which adversely affect one of these groups in a family or household setting will also affect the other. Mandatory reporting of such suspected cases to the appropriate protective agencies will help to safeguard those who cannot defend or provide for themselves.

        WHEREAS, the Council further finds that animal abusers may not commit sensational murders, but that they have, in fact, already taken a step on the path of violence. Ground-breaking studies conducted by any number of scientists and experts in the field, including the FBI, indicate that many criminal who have been violent toward people share a common history of brutal parental punishment and cruelty to animals. In a study involving 57 New Jersey families, being treated for incidents of child abuse, shows that in 88% of these families animals had also been abused, usually by the parent or caretaker. These finding are consistent with those reviewed regarding animal cruelty reports for one community in England. Of the 23 families with a history of animal abuse, 83% had been identified by police or human social service agencies has having children at risk of abuse or neglect. Council is aware that mass murderers in recent and by-gone times, including the Columbine students, for example, “practiced” on animals; now therefore

BE IT ORDAINED by the City Council of the City of Camden, as follows: Mandated cross reporting shall require any animal care and control officer or official while on duty conducting an animal cruelty investigation to report reasonably suspected or indisputable child neglect or abuse observed in a family, household, or otherwise. This act shall include non-ambulatory or otherwise health challenged persons of any age and the elderly.

SECTION 1. As used in this article, animal care and control officer or official means any person employed by the City for the purpose of enforcing animal welfare and control ordinances and regulations or state laws.

A. This ordinance would add animal care and control officers or officials to the list of persons who are provided immunity from civil or criminal liability and who may present a claim for reimbursement of reasonable attorneys’ fees to the City.

B. Neglect means the negligent treatment or maltreatment of a child or person by a person responsible for the child or person’s welfare under circumstances indicating harm or threatened harm to the child or person’s health or welfare. The term includes both acts and omissions of the part of the responsible person.

C. General neglect means the negligent failure of a person having the care of custody of a child or person to provide adequate food, clothing, shelter medical care or supervision where no physical injury to the child or person has occurred.

D. Severe neglect means the negligent failure of a person having the care or custody of a child or person to protect the child or person from severe malnutrition or medically diagnosed non-organic failure to thrive. Also, in situations of neglect where any person having the care or custody of a child or person willfully causes or permits other persons to cause damage to the health and safety to a child or person, including failure to provide adequate food, clothing, shelter or medical care.

E. Willful cruelty or unjustifiable punishment of a child or person means a situation where any person willfully causes or permits any child to suffer, or inflicts thereon unjustifiable physical pain or mental suffering, or causes or permits a child or person to be placed in situations endangering a child or person.

F. Unlawful corporal punishment or injury means a situation where any person willfully inflicts upon any child or person any cruel or inhuman corporal punishment, injury or sexual abuse. It also means injury that is inflicted by other than accidental means on a child or person by another person.

SECTION 2. The term Animal includes dogs, cats, rabbits, birds, other household animals commonly or uncommonly found. Owner, caretaker or guardian means all persons claiming such or persons in the family or household responsible for the animals’ health, safety and general welfare. It includes all persons that cause or procure animal neglect or abuse as defined in title 4 of the laws of the State of New Jersey, including:

B. General cruelty or neglect, overwork, physical or mental torture or torment, sexual abuse, poisoning. Deprivation of necessary sustenance such as but not limited to food, drink, veterinary care or shelter. It includes, abandonment, animal(s) left in specified places without proper care or human attention. General neglect also means the negligent failure of a person having the care of custody of animal(s) to provide adequate food, shelter, medical care or supervision where no physical injury to the animal(s) has occurred.

C. Neglect means the negligent treatment or maltreatment of animal(s) by a person responsible for the animals’ welfare under circumstances indicating harm or threatened harm to the animals’ health or welfare. The term includes both acts and omissions of the part of the responsible person.

D. Severe neglect means the negligent failure of a person having the care or custody of animal(s) from severe malnutrition or medically diagnosed non-organic failure to thrive. Also, in situations of neglect where any person having the care or custody of animal(s) willfully causes or permits other persons to cause damage to the health and safety to animal(s), including failure to provide adequate food, shelter or medical care. Ownership or possession of fighting gamecocks, other birds, or dogs.

E. Engaging for the amusement or gain in an exhibition of fighting gamecocks, other birds, or dogs. Have in possession any of the implements commonly knows as gaffs or slashers, or any other sharp implement designed to be attached in place of the natural spur of a gamecock or other fighting bird. Have in possession any instruments or appliances commonly used for dog fighting. The deliberate breeding of fighting animals.

F. Willful cruelty or unjustifiable punishment of animal(s) means a situation where any person willfully causes or permits any animals to suffer, or inflicts thereon unjustifiable physical pain or mental suffering, or cause or permits animal(s) to be placed in situations endangering animal(s).

G. Unlawful punishment or injury means a situation where any person willfully inflicts upon any animal any cruel or inhumane punishment, injury or sexual abuse. It also means injury that is inflicted by other than accidental means on animal(s) by another person.

H. The ordinance shall be known as “Sarah’s Law”, in memory of Compassion for Camden’s decade-long poster dog Sarah, the impetus for starting the organization in 1992.

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