The American Kennel Club (AKC) is pleased to report that, this morning, the New Hampshire House Environment and Agriculture Committee voted House Bill 1102 as “Inexpedient to Legislate.” This means that it is the committee’s recommendation that the bill should not be approved.
HB 1102 is a radical bill that seeks to describe brachycephaly as a “birth deformity that causes suffering” and would criminalize the sale and breeding of brachycephalic dogs and any dog that could be claimed to have a birth deformity. AKC, the New Hampshire Dog Owners of the Granite State (NH DOGS), the New Hampshire Veterinary Medical Association, representatives of numerous parent clubs, and many other individuals and organizations expressed opposition to HB 1102. Click here to read more about AKC’s opposition to HB 1102.
On Tuesday, March 5, 2024, the House Environment and Agriculture Committee held a public hearing on HB 1102. The bill sponsor, Representative Ellen Read, introduced HB 1102 to the committee by stating that breed registries encourage extreme conformation because it is “cute” but causes needless suffering that ought to be treated as animal cruelty.
More than 50 individuals provided in-person testimony. Members of NH DOGS joined AKC staff and others to acknowledge the distress that comes with having a dog that is unwell; and to provide accurate information about the legacy of purebred dog breeds, parent clubs’ breed standards, and available AKC resources supporting responsible breeding practices. Lawmakers were also educated about the negative consequences of HB 1102. By then, more than 500 responsible dog breeders and owners had registered opposition online, which outnumbered support for the bill by 4-1.
In today’s executive session on HB 1102, committee members discussed concerns based upon the testimony received on March 5. Some members commented that the bill sponsor had subsequently proposed an amendment to the committee to address concerns, but no member of the committee formally introduced the amendment for its consideration today. After further discussions, by a vote of 14-6, the committee voted HB 1102 as “Inexpedient to Legislate”.
AKC extends its deepest appreciation to NH DOGS, the parent breed clubs that drafted opposition statements, and everyone who took timely action. AKC is also grateful to Representative Judy Aron, Chair, and Members of the House Environment and Agriculture Committee, for their thoughtful consideration of all testimony submitted. The committee highlighted the great work New Hampshire breeders are doing to consistently improve the health of their breeds and concluded that health issues should be addressed by the breeders, their veterinarians, and AKC and parent clubs.
WHAT’S NEXT:
When the bill may be scheduled for consideration by the full House is ultimately up to Speaker Sherman Packard. When scheduled, the House will consider HB 1102 as introduced and AKC will provide notice and action steps at that time.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
AKC GR will continue to provide updates on HB 1102 and all pending New Hampshire 2024 legislation. For more information or to learn more about how you can help in the fight against it, contact AKC GR at doglaw@akc.org.