Next week, three bills impacting dogs are scheduled for a public hearing. The American Kennel Club (AKC) strongly encourages those who reside in New Hampshire to contact the committees as follows:
CONCERNING ORIGINAL ANIMAL RECORDS DATABASE LANGUAGE
Tuesday, February 9th at 1pm: SB 127 is a budget bill before the Senate Finance Committee that includes provisions establishing an animal records database identical to the original text of HB 532. However, the House Environment and Agriculture Committee has amended HB 532 to address concerns raised by NH Dog Owners of the Granite State (NH DOGS) and AKC GR. The AKC recommends that the Senate Finance Committee adopt the text of amended HB 532. Review AKC GR’s prior alert listing those concerns here.
WHAT YOU CAN DO: It is imperative that New Hampshire residents immediately contact the Senate Finance Committee in order to sign in to speak, to register your opposition to SB 127 as currently worded, and/or submit testimony requesting the Senate Finance Committee adopt amended HB 532 text. Use this link: http://gencourt.state.nh.us/remotecommittee/senate.aspx.
SUPPORT TOUGHER PENALTIES FOR WILLFUL HARMING OF SERVICE DOGS
Tuesday, February 9th at 1:30pm: SB 122 includes a section that would increase the current misdemeanor penalty to a class B felony for anyone willfully harming a service animal or willfully allowing their animal to injure a service animal, which includes service dogs. AKC strongly supports the training and use of dogs by humans, whose lives are enriched by dogs’ performing essential services.
WHAT YOU CAN DO: To demonstrate support for service dogs that provide a wide variety of valuable services to disabled individuals, register your support for SB 122 with the Senate Judiciary Committee at http://gencourt.state.nh.us/remotecommittee/senate.aspx.
SUPPORT TOUGHER PENALTIES FOR DOG THEFT, DOG POISONING, REMOVING/DESTROYING COLLARS
Wednesday, February 10th at 3:30pm: HB 338 would increase the crime of dog theft and poisoning a dog from a misdemeanor offense to a class B felony. It would also expand the misdemeanor offense for wrongfully removing a dog collar to include damaging or destroying a collar, tracking collar or electronic tracking device and microchip. AKC GR and NH DOGS support this bill, noting the value of purebred dogs and the expense of GPS collars and tracking devices used with hunting and working dogs.
WHAT YOU CAN DO: New Hampshire residents are encouraged to email the House Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety at to express support for HB 338 at HouseCriminalJusticeandPublicSafety@leg.state.nh.us. Anyone wishing to testify on Wednesday, February 10, 2021, at 3:30pm may sign up at http://gencourt.state.nh.us/house/committees/remotetestimony/default.aspx.
For more information on these or other legislative issues in New Hampshire, contact AKC’s Government Relations Department at 919-816-3720 or doglaw@akc.org; or the Dog Owners of the Granite State at dogs.nh@gmail.com.