Animal cruelty bill gutted; new version does more harm than good

To The Daily Sun,

New Hampshire lawmakers acted swiftly to introduce legislation this year to increase protections for animals, in response to a horrific case of animal cruelty and fires at unregulated breeding facilities in the Granite State. The original intent of Senate Bill 569-N was to increase protections for animals, but a dangerous amendment recently adopted in the House Environment and Agriculture Committee has not only weakened the bill’s provisions, but also repeals existing laws that protect animals by eliminating state inspection requirements for commercial dog kennels and pet stores, stripping the public of their right to request animal welfare records from a licensed facility, and preventing stronger penalties for animal abusers.

While rescinding necessary oversight of breeding facilities, the amendment also takes the unwarranted step of creating the crime of “animal hoarding.” Animal hoarding is a complex issue that encompasses mental health, animal welfare and public safety concerns, and hoarders are often emotionally troubled rather than criminally inclined. Here, the state’s existing animal cruelty statute already addresses the harms that can occur in egregious hoarding situations, as it mandates proper care and shelter for animals and prohibits acts or omissions that are injurious to or threaten the health, safety or welfare of any animal. The ASPCA believes creating a specific criminal offense of “animal hoarding” is a counterproductive distraction, and this new version of the legislation is now a huge step backward for the animals of New Hampshire (Animal cruelty bill ‘terrible,’ says chief).

The new version of Senate Bill 569-N fails to require psychological evaluation and counseling by mental health professionals for compulsive hoarders and would put thousands of animals at risk, creating a regulatory system with no meaningful protections for animals. We urge the New Hampshire House of Representatives to stand up for animals and reject this dangerous language.

Bill Ketzer, Senior Director

ASPCA Government Relations for the Northeast region

New York City