Yesterday, June 24, the New Hampshire House of Representatives approved HB 2, a state budget bill that includes text establishing an animal records database, and it is on its way to the Governor’s desk for approval. This text contains many amendments requested by AKC and its state federation.
Background:
In January 2021, the American Kennel Club (AKC) issued an action alert regarding a public hearing on HB 532, proposing an electronic statewide animal records database to collect health certificates, rabies vaccination and quarantine certificates, licensing information and other data. The purpose of the database was to document the transfer of ownership for any dog, cat, or ferret. Transfers would be monitored by the Department of Agriculture to enforce the requirement, adopted in 2019, that anyone transferring more than 25 dogs in a year would need to have a current pet vendor license.
The AKC and New Hampshire Dog Owners of the Granite State (NH DOGS) testified and worked closely with Chairman Howard Pearl and members of the House Committee on Environment and Agriculture to address significant concerns with the bill. Together with the Commissioner of the New Hampshire Department of Agriculture and key Senators, amendments were adopted to fully satisfy all concerns. Once there was agreement on the bill text, Chairman Pearl worked tirelessly to insert the measure, as Section 302, in the state budget bill, HB 2.
AKC and NH DOGS express our deepest appreciation to Chairman Howard Pearl for his advocacy. In addition, those legislative liaisons, club members and responsible dog owners who testified, sent emails and made calls regarding HB 532 deserve a standing ovation for making your voices heard. BRAVO!
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.