Friday, January 25, 2019
The American Kennel Club (AKC) and our New Hampshire federation, the Dog Owners of the Granite State (DOGS), are seriously concerned about a newly filed bill, HB 688 – An Act Relative to Transfer and Inspection of Animals. The bill is expected to be considered in a public hearing before the House Environment and Agriculture Committee in the coming weeks.
The bill would define “hobby breeders” as anyone transferring ownership of even one puppy per year, and would require them to:
- Register with the state.
- Submit to inspection of their premises by the state, local officials, law enforcement, or health officials.
- Submit to inspection of records by the above-mentioned parties or any member of the public.
In addition, the bill would require any person that transfers 31 or more puppies in a year to be categorized as a commercial breeding kennel and require them to comply with extensive operational requirements and any applicable municipal zoning laws. The state would develop a reporting database to enforce these rules.
WHAT YOU CAN DO:
Every New Hampshire resident is encouraged to call or email your member of the NH House of Representatives today. To identify your member and their contact information go to https://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/house/members/default.aspx.
Please ask your Representative to communicate these HB 688 concerns to the House Environment and Agriculture Committee members:
- Inspecting the premises of hobby breeders, who may whelp a litter of puppies in bedrooms, is an invasion of privacy.
- A database of licensees and registrants is costly and inefficient.
- The committee must find an alternative way of holding irresponsible actors accountable.
Residents are also encouraged to contact the members of the House Environment and Agriculture Committee and express concerns with HB 688. Click here to access the committee contact list.
AKC Government Relations (AKC GR) will provide additional information on HB 688 as developments warrant, including when scheduled for committee hearing. For more information, contact AKC GR at doglaw@akc.org; or the Dog Owners of the Granite State at www.nhdogs.org.