Our pets are family and it’s time our laws treated them that way. Every year in the US, about 10 million animals die from abuse, abandonment, or cruelty.
Today, I announced the bipartisan Protect Our Pets Act to crack down on animal cruelty and hold abusers fully accountable.
This legislation will:
✅ Make it a federal crime to abandon or endanger animals across state lines or on federal property or land like airports, trains or national parks.
✅ Close dangerous loopholes that let abusers evade real consequences.
✅ Establish serious penalties — including up to 15 years in prison for repeat offenders.
Animal cruelty isn’t just about animals — it’s often a warning sign of broader violence in our communities. That’s why we’re taking action.
In Jersey, we don’t tolerate this behavior. We fight back.