1 Health Certificates for Dogs, Cats, and Ferrets. Amend RSA 437:8, VI to read as follows:

VI. No dog, cat, or ferret shall be offered for transfer by a licensee or by any individual without first being protected against infectious diseases using a vaccine approved by the state veterinarian. No dog, cat, or ferret shall be offered for transfer by a licensee or by any individual unless accompanied by an official health certificate issued by a licensed veterinarian. No transfer shall occur unless the transferred animal is accompanied by a health certificate issued within the prior 14 days. The certificate shall be in triplicate, one copy of which shall be retained by the signing veterinarian, one copy of which shall be for the licensee's records, and one copy of which shall be given to the transferee upon transfer as provided in paragraph III. If an official health certificate is produced, it shall be prima facie evidence of transfer. The signing veterinarian shall provide a copy of the health certificate to the department of agriculture, markets, and food upon request.

2 Health Certificates for Dogs, Cats, and Ferrets; Prospective Changes. Amend RSA 437:8, VI to read as follows:

VI. No animal shelter shall transfer any dog, cat or ferret that is received from outside of the state until the quarantine requirements in 437:8, V have been met and without an official transfer certificate. Animal shelter facilities, as defined in RSA 437:1, I, *are exempt from the requirements of this section relative to transferring dogs, cats, and ferrets except that:

(a) All dogs, cats, 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.

(b) All dogs, cats, or ferrets 3 months of age or older shall be vaccinated against rabies in accordance with RSA 436:100 before transfer, if proof of rabies vaccination is not available.

(c) 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.

(d) 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. Registered owners or agents shall be contacted as soon as possible, not to exceed 72 hours, and alerted that the animal has been taken in and is available to be reclaimed.

(e) If listed owners or agents cannot be located or refuse to reclaim possession of the animal, every effort shall be made to contact the secondary owner listed by microchip registries as soon as possible, not to exceed 72 hours.

(f) No animal shelter shall transfer any dog, cat, or ferret that is received from outside of the state without an official health certificate and until the quarantine requirements in RSA 437:8, IV have been met.*

3 Applicability. Section 2 of this act shall take effect at 12:01 a.m., 2 years from the date on which the commissioner of the department of agriculture, markets, and food certifies to the secretary of state and the director of the office of legislative services, that the animal records database established in RSA 437:8-a is operational.

4 Effective Date.

I. Section 2 shall take effect as prescribed in section 3.

II. The remainder of this act shall take effect upon its passage.

1 Health Certificates for Dogs, Cats, and Ferrets. Amend RSA 437:8, VI to read as follows:

VI. No dog, cat, or ferret shall be offered for transfer by a licensee or by any individual without first being protected against infectious diseases using a vaccine approved by the state veterinarian. No dog, cat, or ferret shall be offered for transfer by a licensee or by any individual unless accompanied by an official health certificate issued by a licensed veterinarian. No transfer shall occur unless the transferred animal is accompanied by a health certificate issued within the prior 14 days. The certificate shall be in triplicate, one copy of which shall be retained by the signing veterinarian, one copy of which shall be for the licensee's records, and one copy of which shall be given to the transferee upon transfer as provided in paragraph III. If an official health certificate is produced, it shall be prima facie evidence of transfer. The signing veterinarian shall provide a copy of the health certificate to the department of agriculture, markets, and food upon request. Animal shelter facilities, as defined inRSA 437:1, I shall:

(a) Have on the premises a microchip scanner and shall maintain a file of recognized pet retrieval agencies, including but not limited to national tattoo microchip registries.

(b) 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 by RSA 437:18, IV and prior to transferring ownership of an unclaimed or abandoned animal where an animal is not known. Registered owners or agents shall be contacted as soon as possible, not to exceed 72 hours, and alerted that the animal has been taken in and is available to be reclaimed.

(c) Contact the secondary owner listed by microchip registries as soon as possible, not to exceed 72 hours, if listed owners or agents cannot be located or refuse to reclaim possession of the animal.

2 Health Certificates for Dogs, Cats, and Ferrets; Prospective Changes. Amend RSA 437:8, VI to read as follows:

VI. No animal shelter shall transfer any dog, cat or until the quarantine requirements in 437:8, V have been met and without an official transfer certificate. Animal shelter facilities, as defined in RSA 437:1, I, shall:

(a) Have on the premises a microchip scanner and shall maintain a file of recognized pet retrieval agencies, including but not limited to national tattoo microchip registries.

(b) 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 by RSA 437:18, IV and prior to transferring ownership of an unclaimed or abandoned animal where an animal is not known. Registered owners or agents shall be contacted as soon as possible, not to exceed 72 hours, and alerted that the animal has been taken in and is available to be reclaimed.

(c) Contact the secondary owner listed by microchip registries as soon as possible, not to exceed 72 hours, if listed owners or agents cannot be located or refuse to reclaim possession of the animal.

3 Applicability. Section 2 of this act shall take effect at 12:01 a.m., 2 years from the date on which the commissioner of the department of agriculture, markets, and food certifies to the secretary of state and the director of the office of legislative services, that the animal records database established in RSA 437:8-a is operational.

4 Effective Date.

I. Section 2 shall take effect as prescribed in section 3.

II. The remainder of this act shall take effect upon its passage.