I’m not one for too much government, in fact I wish we had much less. But sometimes you need more to keep people from hurting themselves or others, others in this case being animals.

Joe and Charlene Hendrick may have meant no harm, as they say, when the eight dogs they started with became 276, but in the end they put those animals as well as themselves in harm’s way. We’re talking health hazards for both themselves and the animals many of which are still being treated and readied for adoption.

One way to avoid this is to pass a law that would limit the number of pets you’re allowed to own in New Jersey. It can be based on the square footage of the living space, and exceptions can be made on a case by case basis. If you’re pet reproduces, the pups don’t count against the cap. This would be a win-win situation for both pet and owner.

When you rescue an animal, you’re vetted for the safety of the animals. A law like this could prevent something like what happened in Howell from ever happening again.

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