Bill Text - HB1178 (2014)

Relative to the sale and transfer of animals from animal shelters.


Revision: March 27, 2014, midnight

HB 1178 – AS INTRODUCED

2014 SESSION

14-2027

08/05

HOUSE BILL 1178

AN ACT relative to the sale and transfer of animals from animal shelters.

SPONSORS: Rep. Gardner, Straf 15

COMMITTEE: Environment and Agriculture

ANALYSIS

This bill removes the exemption for animal shelters regarding requirements prior to the transfer of dogs, cats, and ferrets.

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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.

Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]

Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

14-2027

08/05

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Fourteen

AN ACT relative to the sale and transfer of animals from animal shelters.

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

1 Animal Shelters. Amend RSA 437:10, III to read as follows:

III. [Animal shelter facilities, as defined in RSA 437:2, I, are exempt from the requirements of this section relative to transferring dogs, cats, and ferrets except that:]

(a) All animal shelter facilities shall have on premises a microchip scanner and shall maintain a file of recognized pet retrieval agencies including but not limited to national tattoo or microchip registries.

(b) Where an owner is not known, all animal shelter facilities shall inspect for tattoos, ear tags, or other permanent forms of positive identification and shall scan for a microchip upon admission of an unclaimed or abandoned animal as defined in RSA 437:18, IV and prior to transferring ownership of an unclaimed or abandoned animal.

(c) All animal shelters shall comply with the provisions of RSA 437:10, V and RSA?437:13-a, IV.

2 Animal Shelters. Amend RSA 437:13-a, IV to read as follows:

IV. [All incorporated or chartered humane societies with operating shelters in the state of New Hampshire are exempt from the requirements of this section relative to transferring dogs, cats, birds, or ferrets except that] All dogs, cats, birds, or ferrets transferred out of an animal shelter facility shall have a form of positive identification, including but not limited to a tattoo, collar, microchip, ear tag, or any other permanent form of identification approved by the commissioner of agriculture, markets, and food and dogs, cats, and ferrets shall be vaccinated against rabies in accordance with RSA 436. All dogs, cats, birds, or ferrets shall be accompanied by an official health certificate if the dog, cat, bird, or ferret was imported into the state for transfer with or without a fee.

3 Effective Date. This act shall take effect July 1, 2014.