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In 2018 animal welfare advocates worked very hard to pass Senate Bill 569 a comprehensive animal cruelty bill that rolled many of the animal welfare initiatives into one bill.
Senate Bill 569, which overwhelmingly passed the NH Senate and was supported by all New Hampshire animal shelters, the New Hampshire Association of Chiefs of Police, the Governor’s Commission on the Humane Treatment of Animals, the Animal Control Officers Association Of New Hampshire, and the New Hampshire Municipal Association, would have gone a long way to protect dogs from unscrupulous breeders, and taxpayers from having to pay the financial cost of animal abuse.
Senator Bradley, Senate Committee of Conference members and Governor Sununu fought hard for the bill but, in the end, the House, under the leadership of the Environment & Agriculture Committee, decided to study the matter rather than prevent unregulated breeders from flocking to our state because of ineffective laws. Even worse, their proposal would have weakened existing laws by creating even more loopholes in the definition of a commercial dog kennel and prohibiting anonymous complaints of animal cruelty. Senate members did the right thing by refusing to allow language that would have caused even more problems in addressing animal cruelty.
The 36 German Shepherds that have been in protective custody at the New Hampshire SPCA for over a year now would be living in forever homes if the current laws were clearer. This year’s proposed legislation works to improve the fate of them and others across the state.
This year, the issues are addressed separately and there is much broader support.
Support: An Act Relative to a Pet Vendor
Both bills will go a long way to preventing the horrific cruelty we’ve seen in the Granite State. We hope that we can count on you to raise your voice for the animals at the State House this year.