Animal-Cruelty Prevention Bills Gain Steam In NH Legislature

CONCORD – Animal-welfare proponents in New Hampshire hope that several laws pending in the legislature will work together to help prevent abuse and care for animals whose owners are charged with abuse.

Senate Bill 77 would allow for a court hearing in cases of animal neglect or abuse to consider the animal’s welfare when determining options for medical treatment and adoption. Currently, animals in such cases are considered “evidence” and must be kept and cared for at taxpayer expense for the duration of the case, which could take years.

“These animals are not like a computer,” said Kathy Eneguess, president and CEO of the Animal Rescue League of New Hampshire. “Taking care of them can be very costly.”

Eneguess cited the 2017 case when 75 Great Danes were seized from a breeder in Wolfeboro and cost more than $2 million to care for, according to the United States Humane Society, before they were all adopted to permanent homes.

“This would tighten parts of the law and give us the tools the help the animals in a more timely way,” Eneguess said.

SB 77 also allows courts to prohibit convicted animal abusers from owning, residing with or working with animals, and establishes minimum bans for egregious cases of purposeful animal cruelty.

Recidivism rates among animal abusers are staggeringly high, according to ARL New Hampshire, and near 100 percent for certain types of crimes.

Senate Bill 161 defines a pet vendor as any entity that transfers 20 or more dogs, 20 or more cats, or 30 or more ferrets and requires vendors to be licensed. It applies to shelters, rescue organizations, pet stores and breeders. Current law offers an exemption for breeders of fewer than 50 puppies or 10 litters, which SB 161 proponents say attracts breeders who want to avoid inspection.

“New Hampshire is really an outlier in animal-cruelty laws,” Eneguess.

Both bills passed the Senate overwhelmingly and are now headed to the House.

Other bills being considered include House Bill 283, which would prevent rabbits from being sold or raffled at less than eight weeks of age, and House Bill 605, which would make a class B felony the use of devices for breeding and training animals for fighting and prevent the sale or loan of an animal for the purpose of fighting or promotion of animal fighting.

Eneguess said the measures were presented as one comprehensive bill at last year’s legislative session, but never made it out of committee. She said the decision was made this time around to break up the bills in order to make it simpler to try to educate legislators on the importance of each provision.

“The goal is to make it better for the animals and make things easier for the licensing board,” she said.

Eneguess stresses “we still have a lot of work to do” to help make sure all the bills pass both chambers and become law.