HB 1501-FN-LOCAL is a bill that would eliminate the requirement for annual registration of cats and dogs in New Hampshire. It would also make various amendments to existing laws regarding service animals, impoundment of animals suspected of having rabies, and handling of animals bitten by rabid animals. The bill would remove language related to the issuance of service animal tags and the payment of expenses from fees collected under certain statutes. The bill is set to take effect on January 1, 2025.

The bill is expected to have a fiscal impact, resulting in a decrease in revenue from dog license fees for the state, but an increase in local revenue due to the elimination of dog license fees. The Animal Population Control Program would be eliminated, resulting in the layoff of a program assistant position. The Department of Agriculture, Markets and Food and the New Hampshire Municipal Association have raised concerns about the potential negative impacts of the bill, including financial impacts on towns, decreased vaccination rates, increased costs for post-exposure prophylaxis, and increased workload for law enforcement and animal control officers. They believe that the decrease in revenue and the additional costs would outweigh any cost savings from eliminating the licensing requirement.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 6:12, 167-D:8, 436:105, 436:105-a, 436:106, 437:18, 437:19, 437-A:4-a, 466:18-a, 466:39, 466:44, 466:48