Revision: Dec. 11, 2025, 3:41 p.m.
HB 1281 - AS INTRODUCED
2026 SESSION
26-2857
08/09
HOUSE BILL 1281
AN ACT establishing standards for the training of comfort dogs.
SPONSORS: Rep. Morton, Hills. 39; Rep. Cole, Hills. 26; Rep. Girard, Sull. 6; Rep. Korzen, Coos 7; Rep. Labrie, Hills. 2; Rep. D. Mannion, Rock. 25; Rep. Wood, Merr. 13
COMMITTEE: Commerce and Consumer Affairs
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ANALYSIS
This bill defines facility comfort dogs and requires training for facility comfort dogs to be certified as such.
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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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
26-2857
08/09
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty-Six
AN ACT establishing standards for the training of comfort dogs.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 New Chapter; Comfort Dog Certification. Amend RSA by inserting after chapter 167-D the following new chapter:
CHAPTER 167-E
COMFORT DOG CERTIFICATION
167-E:1 Definitions.
I. “Facility comfort dog” means an agency owned dog that provides support to the public and has met the certification requirements of this chapter. A facility comfort dog is a specifically trained dog that provides emotional support, comfort, and crisis response to individuals, groups, and communities in various settings, such as hospitals, nursing homes, schools, disaster relief areas, emergency response/public safety agencies, and other places where people may be experiencing stress, trauma, or crisis. Facility comfort dogs are not considered service dogs or emotional support animals and do not have the same rights.
II. “Facility comfort dog handler” or “handler” means an emergency response or public safety worker who is responsible for the care, training, and supervision of a facility comfort dog during its interactions with individuals, groups, and communities in need of emotional support or crisis response. A handler facilitates the facility comfort dog's work by ensuring that it behaves appropriately, follows commands, and maintains a calm and comforting presence in various environments. A handler is trained to understand canine behavior, communication, and emotional support techniques, allowing them to effectively guide the facility comfort dog's interactions with individuals, groups, or communities in distress or crisis situations. A handler maintains the well-being and safety of both the facility comfort dog and the individuals, groups, and communities they serve.
III. “Facility comfort dog trainer” or “trainer” means a person retained to train the facility comfort dog and handler for the work the facility comfort dog will do within public safety or emergency response. A trainer has a minimum of 5 years experience with focused training of assistance dogs. Generic pet training shall not qualify as experience.
IV. “Facility comfort dog team” means a trained facility comfort dog and its handler, working collaboratively to provide emotional support, comfort, and crisis response to individuals, groups, and communities in various settings.
167-E:2 Care of the Facility Comfort Dog.
I. The agency owning the dog shall comply with all state and local ordinances regarding licensing, vaccinations, and rabies certification under RSA 466:1 and RSA 466:1-a. The agency shall also fully insure the dog for liability for the duration of its service career.
II. A facility comfort dog shall not be fed a raw diet in order to minimize foodborne diseases that may be unintentionally transmitted to humans.
III. A facility comfort dog shall be altered at the veterinarian recommended age or by the second birthday of the dog.
IV. Facility comfort dogs shall not be bred. In the case of an accidental litter, a facility comfort dog shall not be deployed while pregnant.
V. A facility comfort dog shall be confined when traveling above 55 miles per hour. Confinement may be a crate or tether attached to a harness but not to a collar. A remote temperature sensor shall be placed in any vehicle in which the facility comfort dog will be left unattended.
VI. Before owning a facility comfort dog, the agency and/or handler shall have a policy in place for retirement, health issues, and ownership transfer of the dog if the facility comfort dog or handler can no longer work or leaves the agency.
167-E:3 Facility Comfort Dog Minimum Training Standard.
I. The required training for a facility comfort dog shall consist of:
(a) Receiving the American Kennel Club Canine Good Citizen certificate before the dog is 18 months old or within 4 months of acquiring the dog.
(b) Participating in structured ongoing training a minimum of 4 hours every 3 months.
II. No prong or electronic collars or head halters shall be used for American Kennel Club testing, and no dog may wear prong or electronic collars or head halters while being deployed.
III. A facility comfort dog and handler shall engage in continuing education. The emergency services or public safety agency owning the facility comfort dog shall maintain detailed training records, which shall include:
(a) Dates and duration of training sessions.
(b) Type of training conducted.
(c) Progress and any corrective actions needed.
(d) Certification completion and renewal dates.
167-E:4 Facility Comfort Dog Handler Training; Minimum Standard.
I. The required training for a facility comfort dog handler shall consist of:
(a) American Kennel Club Canine Good Citizen certificate with the dog.
(b) Mental Health First Aid, including training on recognizing and responding to individuals experiencing mental health crises.
(c) Emergency First Aid for Dogs, including training on providing basic emergency care for canine partners.
(d) American Kennel Club Advanced Canine Good Citizen certificate.
(e) American Kennel Club Urban Canine Good Citizen certificate.
(f) Participating in structured ongoing training a minimum of 4 hours every 3 months.
(g) Regular exposure to emergency/public safety environments to maintain proficiency.
II. Training shall focus on reinforcing American Kennel Club certification skills, handling techniques, and scenario-based public interactions.
167-E:5 Facility Comfort Dog Trainer; Requirements.
The agency that owns a facility comfort dog shall make a letter of recommendation available to the facility comfort dog trainer. The trainer shall only have access rights as given by the agency it is representing while accompanied by an agency representative, including the facility comfort dog handler. In order to attend a public or critical incident event with the facility comfort dog and the handler, the trainer shall be certified with psychological first aid training. Trainers shall have no privileges beyond that of the general public unless accompanied by an agency representative, including the facility comfort dog handler.
167-E:6 Facility Comfort Dog Identification.
A facility comfort dog and its handler shall be clearly identified as such using a unique patch on the dogs harness and on the handler’s uniform. A central tracking system shall be established to identify individual dogs and track deployment and care.
2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.