'Patrick's Law' Enacted: Gov. Signs Bill to Raise Animal Cruelty Penalties

Gov. Chris Christie signed into law Wednesday a measure that stiffens the punishment for people convicted of animal cruelty, the Star-Ledger reported.

Under the new “Patrick’s Law,” 

• Leaving an animal without food or water goes from a disorderly person's offense to a fourth-degree crime. If the animal dies as a result, the offense becomes a third-degree crime.
• Animal abuse fines would rise from $1,000 to $3,000 for a first offense, and from $3,000 to $5,000 for a second offense. 
• Those found guilty of overworking an animal can now be charged with a disorderly persons offense that carries a maximum penalty of six months in jails and a fine from $250 to $1,000.

The law is named for a Newark pit bull whose story gained national attention after he was was found in 2011 emaciated and near starving after being thrown down an apartment building trash chute. His owner last week pleaded guilty to the crime. State Senate Minority Leader Tom Kean Jr. of Union, who sponsored the bill, said via a statement that “Patrick suffered deplorable, inexcusable abuse.”

Today, Patrick the pit bull is healthy, but he's in the middle of a custody fight between Tinton Falls' Garden State Veterinary Specialists, where the dog was nursed back to health and was taken in by the hospital administrator, Associated Humane Societies and the City of Newark.