Yesterday, Governor Sununu signed H. 338 into law, making the tampering or removal of a dog’s collar or microchip a misdemeanor crime. It also increases the penalty for stealing a dog, from a misdemeanor to a class B felony, for anyone guilty of multiple offenses. These changes, effective January 1, 2022, are expected to act as a deterrent to the theft of dogs in order to sell them for profit and to the obstruction of legitimate working and hunting dogs.
The American Kennel Club (AKC) is grateful to Representative Brian Sullivan, who introduced the legislation at the request of a member of New Hampshire’s Dog Owners of the Granite State (NH DOGS) – an AKC affiliated federation of dog clubs. Congratulations are extended to NH DOGS for their successful advocacy campaign and this significant accomplishment!
For more information on this 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.