Track ALL Pets & Pet Owners - NJ State Vet Wants All Animals Chipped for "Overpopulation"

State Vet Wants All Animals Chipped To Control Pet Overpopulation

EDITOR"S NOTE: Today's post is a piece I wrote last year. I think it's more relevant than ever, so I've decided to republish.

Background - this piece was written after I listened to Dr. Gordon Stull - who headed the "Pet Overpolulation Subcommittee" on  New Jersey State Task Force on Animal Welfare Reform - tell the audience his vision for managing the state's shelter animals and privately owned pets.

Dr. Stull's plan has frightening implications for pet owners - and raises serious privacy and constitutional concerns.

Microchips can certainly help reunite lost pets and families.  But microchips can do so much more - for the wrong people, the wrong reasons. 

If microchips conjure images of tearful and happy  reunions - then you are the willing victim of a very successful marketing campaign - one that plays on your fears.

If you own a pet -or any animal for that matter, get ready, 'cause Big Brother is coming.  Nope - Big Brother here. The question is - will you invite him in?

New Jersey Raises Privacy Concerns & Eyebrows -Task Force Wants Country's First Pet (Owner) Database             - Published Aug. 2005

"If we start now, we'll have the country's first database, complete with owner demographics, in 10 to 15 years".    Gordon Stull, DVM, NJ Animal Welfare Task Force, Pet Overpopulation Subcommittee

"If we start now, we will have the country's first database - complete with owner demographics, in 10 to 15 years".

Whoooaaa, Bessie. Did I hear that correctly? 

HE wants a database, populated with data collected from a microchip program,  driven by adoptions from the state's shelters.  THEN he says he wants to make the microchip program mandatory for every pet (read pet owner)  in the State Of New Jersey.

Then the information from the mandatory microchip program would then feed the first database of its kind in the country - tracking all pets and pet owners in the State of New Jersey.

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Tracking EVERY Pet & Pet Owner In New Jersey

"He" would be Gordon Stull, DVM.  New Jersey Animal Welfare Task Force Member. Pet Overpopulation Subcommittee.  Oh yes, and as I later discover, an animal rights activist.

Let's see - he wants a database, replete with "demographics", with 24/7 access by the state.

I was in the audience of the presentation of the New Jersey Animal Welfare Task Force's recommendations at the New Jersey Bar Association. ( See page 79 of the report, which will display as page 88 of the PDF).

"Does anyone here have privacy concerns or constitutional objections  to this proposed database?"  I asked the panel members at the Q & A period.   The panel members  exchanged glances.  Nope.

No? Well, the members of task force may not have a problem with such a database.  But I certainly do, and so does every privacy expert who hears about New Jersey's proposed "pet database".

How Do You Spell P-R-I-V-A-C-Y?

There are HUGE privacy concerns, even constitutional concerns, with regard to this database. What, does this type of information somehow fall under The Patriot Act?

We have serious questions about this database, and so should every pet-owning citizen in the state (which according to the American Pet Products Manufactureres Association, is 44.9% of us).   

In fact, pet owners in New Jersey should be alarmed, as privacy lawyers are, that the state is even considering such a move.  Do elected officials in New Jersey have a clue about this?  And just who is running the show?

It's All About The Data

Let's muse on just what kinds of data would be in New Jersey's pet database?

Would you include, for instance, pet name, age, vaccination records ?  But if you have that information, it's then assumed you'd have to have the owner's information too.  Like the owner's name, address, phone, driver's license. 

Oh - and let's be sure to include whether or not the pet is spayed or neutered.    Not that I don't think it's a good thing - I do.  In fact all of my pets have been fixed.

But we're talkin' database here - so why? 

Whose Agenda Is This?

Would it have anything to do with the fact that  MANDATORY STERILIZATION FOR ALL COMPANION ANIMALS  (PETA-related site) is at not only at the top of the animal rights agenda, but is at the heart of the task force's recommendations as well? 

Or how about the fact that the person leading the state's task force's subcommittee, Gordon Stull,  an animal rights activist, and is pushing the animal rights agenda in the the state's recommendations?  The report states -

“ It is anticipated that, if a mandatory microchip policy were implemented, the State’s pet population would be fully microchipped and accounted for in approximately 10-15 years. New Jersey would also have access to more complete data concerning its pet population than it currently has and would be better able to quantify needs and provide adequate services. Currently, companion animal demographic data is largely based upon license or food sales data and does not include data concerning feral cats, which can represent upwards of 50% of the total cat population. The data is also often incomplete, as it does not include other important demographics, such as breed, age and medical information and reproductive status.

Without reliable data concerning companion animals, the size and scope of New Jersey’s pet population can only be estimated, thus impairing the State’s ability to plan for and respond to the problem of pet overpopulation. If, however, a microchip program were to provide accurate population and demographic data, the State could use this when projecting how much money would be needed for animal control and welfare purposes.”

But, hey -enough about the animal rights people - there's something for everybody, right? Let's go on..............

Tasty Data For Insurers

So while State of New Jersey is busy collecting more data on it's citizen pets & pet owners, please be sure to include dog breed.

That's because the insurance industry, big on almost every politician's list of donors, will want that served up.   Good for jacking up rates, plumping up those profits.

Gee, then the state (or it's vendors) could  matrix the new data with other great stuff - like  data  from other databases? Like voting records.  Parking tickets.   Maybe even health records.

And then, since it's a state-owned database - would that information be available to the public?  Or how about state contractors, marketers, credit card companies?

I've Gotta A Problem With That

I have a problem with goverment wanting to be in my living room, bedroom and even on my deathbed.  Now that the state wants to track me and my dog (or is it really the animal rights people?), they even want to be in my dog's bed.

I gotta problem with that. What about you?

Comments

[Dianne Singer]

I'm wondering how long it will be before governments require microchipping of people. Mandatory chipping of pets is the first step; in five or ten years, if it goes unquestioned, they'll make it mandatory for people. You'll be tracked from birth to death.

[Cindy]

If there is such a pet overpopulation problem, then why on gods earth did LA County Import dogs from Katrina? In doing so they now have the "Canine Flu" and the "Plague"! I think "WE" the citizens need to "demand" a mandated way of reporting all of the incoming animals. Over petpopulation should not include dogs that have issues (jumping fences, biting, aggression, medical, etc) and they should not count the same dog two or three times if per se the animal is adopted and then returned to the shelter. This is common practice amoung shelters to take the animal back and count it again!
If there was so much pet over population why are we importing dogs from out of the county as well?
I'm sorry, I rescue but only 10% of all the dogs we rescue are one's that I'd even remotely consider to be homeless, the rest have all had issues of some kind that landed them in a shelter or rescue!

[Lynda Dickey]

One of the "reasons" given for this is to track NJ's pet overpopulation problem.

I've been looking for a dog, and spending lots of time on Petfinder looking at the dogs available at local shelters and rescues. MANY of the rescues IMPORT dogs from VA, GA, Puerto Rico and even CHINA! If we have such an overpopulation problem, why are we IMPORTING dogs?

Mr. Null has incorrect information!

[Paula]

My club is having a meet your breed this month and one of the projects offered is a CGC/TDI testing. I wanted to take the test in order for my dog to have 1. an extra title on the other end of his name and 2. being a good pet owner for my community. But after reading the application I found out that you had to sign the AKC Pet Pledge before you could take the test or get a certificate. And one of the requirements of this pledge is to have some kind of identification on your pet. Be it microchipping, tatoos, or collar with a ID tag. I was very up set about this because I what I have been reading on all the AR people and their tactics on identifing your dogs.

So, it looks like I will not be getting a CGC on my dog. That's ok with me. I'll just get other titles on him.

I just thought I would pass this along to any of you that plan on doing these kinds of tests even if they come from AKC.