Revision: Jan. 13, 2016, midnight
\t \t\tSB 415 - AS INTRODUCED
2016 SESSION
\t16-2883
\t08/03
SENATE BILL\t415
AN ACT\trelative to the standard of care for dogs outside.
SPONSORS:\tSen. Stiles, Dist 24; Sen. Birdsell, Dist 19; Sen. Forrester, Dist 2; Rep. Borden, Rock. 24; Rep. Peckham, Rock. 22
COMMITTEE:\tPublic And Municipal Affairs
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ANALYSIS
\tThis bill includes access to drinking water in the definition of shelter for animals.
\tThis bill also requires the state veterinarian to make a determination on whether dogs may be left outside in certain weather.
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Explanation:\tMatter added to current law appears in bold italics.
\t\tMatter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]
\t\tMatter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
\t16-2883
\t08/03
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Sixteen
AN ACT\trelative to the standard of care for dogs outside.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
\t1 Shelter; Available Drinking Water for Dogs. Amend RSA 644:8, II-a to read as follows:
\t\tII-a. In this section, "shelter'' or "necessary shelter'' for dogs shall mean any natural or artificial area which provides protection from the direct sunlight and adequate air circulation when that sunlight is likely to cause heat exhaustion of a dog tied or caged outside. Shelter from the weather shall allow the dog to remain clean and dry. Shelter shall be structurally sound and have an area within to afford the dog the ability to stand up, turn around, and lie down, and be of proportionate size as to allow the natural body heat of the dog to be retained. Shelter shall include access to drinking water at all times.
\t2 State Veterinarian; Advisory Committee. The state veterinarian shall appoint an advisory committee of 3 veterinarians licensed to practice in the state of New Hampshire and 2 law enforcement officials with animal control experience to determine if there is an appropriate standard of weather and temperature in which various breeds of dogs should not be left outside and identify if enforcement for this purpose is made clear in statue. The state veterinarian shall schedule and hold a public hearing on the matter and make a determination based on information discussed at such hearing no later than December 1, 2016.
\t\tI. Section 1 of this act shall take effect January 1, 2017.
\t\tII. The remainder of this act shall take effect upon its passage.