On August 19, the NH House and Senate will attempt to overturn Governor Ayotte’s vetoes of HB1766, SB475 and SB535 (details on each bill can be found below). That means, if two-thirds of the legislators in attendance vote to overturn the veto, the bill will become law. This would be devastating for New Hampshire’s animals.
Our representatives must hear from you immediately. Please contact them today and urge them to be there on August 19 to defend animals and uphold Governor Ayotte’s vetoes of HB1766, SB475 and SB535.
Need a little help finding the words?
Contact your State Senator and House Representatives and urge them to be in attendance to support New Hampshire animals and uphold all three vetoes.
Click here to find the contact information for your Senator and House Representatives based on your address. Once you search, click the button under the bar that says “New Hampshire”.
Email or call as many as you are able to with your own message or simply use the language below:
Suggested email language:
Dear Representative/Senator [Last Name],
I am a constituent and am writing to urge you to attend the August 19 veto session and uphold Governor Ayotte’s vetoes of HB1766, SB475, and SB535. These bills would weaken important protections for animals in New Hampshire. I am asking you to please be there to support NH animals and vote to uphold all three vetoes.
HB1766 would make it harder for trained professionals to respond to animal cruelty and neglect and could increase animals’ suffering. SB475 includes harmful language from HB1766. While I support making it easier for pet vendors to utilize foster homes, I do not support provisions that could make it harder to respond to animal abuse and neglect. SB535 would create a new category of residential breeder for people who breed dogs or cats in their homes and transfer up to 50 animals a year, while exempting these breeders from certain state premises requirements. Animals deserve meaningful protections regardless of where they are being bred.
Governor Ayotte recognized these concerns and vetoed all three bills. Please help ensure those vetoes stand.
Thank you for your time and for your service to our community. I hope I can count on you to stand with New Hampshire’s animals.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[City/Town]
Suggested phone message:
Hello, my name is [Name], and I’m a constituent from [City/Town]. I’m calling to urge Representative/Senator [Last Name] to attend the August 19 veto session and uphold Governor Ayotte’s vetoes of HB1766, SB475, and SB535. These bills could weaken protections for animals and make it harder to respond to animal cruelty and neglect. Please show up on August 19 and vote to uphold all three vetoes. Thank you for standing up for New Hampshire’s animals.
What’s at stake for the animals:
HOUSE BILL 1766
Why we oppose this bill: HB1766 would threaten to remove trained humane professionals from cruelty investigations, limit safe placement options for animals in crisis, and force unnecessary criminalization instead of compassionate intervention.
Governor Ayotte’s veto statement: “It’s important that we protect livestock owners’ due process rights and ensure fair treatment under the law. However, HB1766 would hinder the ability of local law enforcement, veterinarians, and animal welfare professionals to respond to cases involving neglect and abuse of animals. By centralizing power with the State, this bill would increase the size of state government, cost taxpayers more money, increase animals’ pain and suffering, and lead to forced euthanasia of abused but otherwise healthy animals.”
Click here to read HB1766 in its entirety.
SENATE BILL 475
Why we oppose this bill: SB475 includes the harmful language from HB1766 that would make it harder for trained professionals to respond to animal cruelty and neglect. While we support making it easier for pet vendors to utilize foster homes, including for pregnant and lactating animals, we believe animals in crisis deserve prompt, compassionate intervention.
Governor Ayotte’s veto statement: “I fully support making it easier to foster animals as they await safe, loving homes. Unfortunately, SB475 includes the same problematic language from House Bill 1766, which I vetoed [in June]. The language in both of these bills makes it harder to respond to animal abuse and neglect cases, costs taxpayers more money, and could lead to forced euthanasia of abused but otherwise healthy animals.”
Click here to read SB475 in its entirety.
SENATE BILL 535
Why we oppose this bill: SB535 would create a new category of “residential breeder” for people who breed dogs or cats in their homes and transfer up to 50 animals a year. These breeders would be exempt from state rules governing premises requirements for housing, harboring or displaying animals. We believe animals deserve meaningful protections regardless of where they are being bred.
Governor Ayotte’s veto statement: “SB535 weakens existing law by creating a new category of residential breeder and exempts these breeders from any meaningful oversight and regulation. By exempting residential breeders (who transfer up to 50 animals in a calendar year) from the successful pet vendor program, the State risks an increase in animal abuse, neglect, and disease. New Hampshire has a strong history of protecting animal rights and continues to work toward ending the abuse of puppies, kittens, and other animals. This bill is a step in the wrong direction.”
Click here to read SB535 in its entirety.
