New Hampshire House Bill 1624, which seeks to impose many unreasonable and unnecessary restrictions on responsible dog breeders and owners, will be considered by the House Environment and Agriculture Committee on Thursday, January 21. The American Kennel Club and our New Hampshire federation, the Dog Owners of the Granite State, both oppose this measure as it is currently written. We encourage all responsible dog breeders and owners in New Hampshire to contact their elected representative and the committee members listed below. Respectfully urge them to not move this bill out of committee without significant amendments.
The American Kennel Club strongly supports humane treatment of dogs, including an adequate and nutritious diet, clean water, clean living conditions, regular veterinary care, kind and responsive human companionship, and training in appropriate behavior. The AKC also supports reasonable and enforceable laws that protect the welfare and health of purebred dogs and do not restrict the rights of breeders and owners who take their responsibilities seriously.
The AKC opposes several provisions in the current bill, including:
- Limiting any person from owning more than 50 intact dogs over the age of four months. The AKC believes that numerical limits do not address potential underlying issues of responsible ownership and proper dog care.
- Requiring any person having more than 10 intact dogs over four months of age to provide specific care and condition requirements; and abide by existing state operation standards for pet shops and animal shelters. This limits owners from breeding females in consecutive heat cycles, and from breeding any dog that is younger than one year of age, without allowing owners and veterinarians to determine what is best for dogs. Additionally, qualifying breeders who keep dogs inside their private homes will be unreasonably forced to incorporate into their homes the costly building standards that pet shops and animal shelters are required to use.
- Mandating that all debarking, tail docking, and surgical births be done by a licensed veterinarian and with anesthesia. The bill defines “tail docking” as the docking, cutting off, causing, or procuring the docking or cutting off of the tail of a dog over five days old. However, a six-day-old puppy would not be able to endure the anesthesia required by this bill. A workable alternative would leave the decisions regarding the best care to a treating veterinarian.
- Authorizing any duly appointed agent of any humane society, SPCA incorporated in the state, or animal control officer, on the Agriculture Commissioner’s initiative or pursuant to complaints, to investigate possible violations. This may effectively deputize individuals not trained or sworn in as public officers, and allow them to enter and seize private property.
WHAT YOU CAN DO:
All Responsible dog breeders and owners in New Hampshire are encouraged to attend the House Environment and Agriculture Committee’s meeting on Thursday, January 21, and respectfully testify in opposition to HB 1624 as currently written.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
1:00 PM
LOB 308
107 North Main Street
Concord, New Hampshire 03301
Additionally, it is imperative that all responsible dog breeders and owners in New Hampshire contact the committee members listed below. Respectfully yet strongly let them know that you oppose HB 1624, and urge them to pursue reasonable and enforceable alternatives.
For a customizable sample letter, click here.
New Hampshire House Environment and Agriculture Committee:
(Click here to e-mail all committee members at once.)
Representative Tara Sad, Chairman
82 North Rd
Walpole, NH 03608
Phone: (603)756-4861
Email: tara.eric@gmail.com
Representative Jane Beaulieu, Vice Chairman
609 South Main St
Manchester, NH 03102-5134
Phone: (603)203-8440
Email: jane.beaulieu@leg.state.nh.us
Representative Suzanne Smith, Clerk
20 Brookside Ln
Hebron, NH 03241-7200
Phone: (603)744-8871
Email: zanne1@metrocast.net
Representative Derek Owen
580 Brockway Road
Hopkinton, NH 03229-2012
Phone: (603)225-2252
Email: owen31@juno.com
Representative Roger Beauchamp
25 Legacy Dr
Manchester, NH 03102-2136
Phone: (603)624-8332
Email: roger.beauchamp@leg.state.nh.us
Representative Susan Wiley
222 Diamond Ledge Rd
Ctr Sandwich, NH 03227-3207
Phone: (603)284-6990
Email: stephmwv@ncia.net
Representative Burton Williams
222 Cardigan Mtn Rd
Bristol, NH 03222-4701
Phone: (603)744-8797
Representative Warren Groen
17 Alice Lane
Rochester, NH 03867-8502
Phone: (603)332-8988
Email: warrengroen@gmail.com
Representative Peter Allen
25 Seaver Road
Harrisville, NH 03450-5538
Phone: (603)827-5530
Representative Steven Lindsey
89 Marlboro St Apt 1
Keene, NH 03431
Phone: (603)547-7375
Email: steven.lindsey@leg.state.nh.us
Representative Robert Haefner
1 St. John St
Hudson, NH 03051-3733
Phone: (603)889-1553
Email: bobhaefnerjp@comcast.net
Representative J. David Knox
PO Box 102
Wolfeboro, NH 03894-0102
Phone: (603)569-2530
Email: jdknox@worldpath.net
Representative Stephen Palmer
8 Border St
Milford, NH 03055-3800
Phone: (603)673-5272
Email: spalmer_peanuts@msn.com
Representative Leigh Webb
PO Box 154
Franklin, NH 03235-0154
Phone: (603)934-8222
Email: leigh.webb@leg.state.nh.us
Representative Brian Poznanski
32 McKenna Dr
Nashua, NH 03062-1825
Phone: (603)888-1543
Email: bpoznanski@anselm.edu
Representative Irene Messier
40 New Gate Circle
Manchester, NH 03102-5147
Phone: (603)622-9146
Representative Laura Gandia
Three Chamberlin Dr
Litchfield, NH 03052-2464
Phone: (603)424-1071
Email: laura.gandia@leg.state.nh.us
Representative Pamela Tucker
15 Eagle Ct
Greenland, NH 03840-2336
Phone: (603)431-8982
Email: pamzt@comcast.net
For tips on how to communicate effectively with legislators, click here.
For more information, contact AKC’s Government Relations Department at (919) 816-3720, or e-mail doglaw@akc.org.
New Hampshire House Bill 1624, which seeks to impose many unreasonable and unnecessary…