1. United States
2. N.H.
3. Letter

Dear Governor and Members of the New Hampshire Legislature, I am writing as a New Hampshire resident and as the Executive Director of New Hampshire Humane Society regarding the excessive volume of animal welfare legislation currently moving through the State House. New Hampshire has 28 animal welfare bills under consideration this session. That number is wildly out of proportion with the size of our state and the animal welfare sector that serves it. By comparison, New York advanced six animal welfare bills last year. California, Texas, Pennsylvania, and Florida are all in the single digits, six or fewer, for 2025. This is not an isolated year. In 2024, New Hampshire had approximately 40 animal welfare bills drafted. This year, there are 26 to 28, depending on classification. This level of legislative activity is excessive, unreasonable, and untenable for a small nonprofit sector to absorb. The cumulative effect is constant micromanagement, expanding compliance obligations, and unfunded mandates that pull resources away from care, enforcement support, and public safety. New Hampshire Humane Society currently offsets the majority of costs related to cruelty cases, medical care, evidence holding, rabies compliance, and long-term housing for animals involved in court proceedings. This allows municipalities and police departments to meet their legal obligations without shifting the burden to taxpayers. If this level of overregulation continues, New Hampshire Humane Society will be forced to step away from all municipal services. At that point, the cost, liability, and administrative responsibility will fall directly on police departments, town administrators, and ultimately taxpayers. Many communities have no viable alternative provider. We cannot and will not continue to function as a safety net while being regulated out of existence. I urge you to slow this process, meaningfully engage front-line animal welfare professionals, and stop advancing legislation that destabilizes systems New Hampshire relies on for animal protection, public safety, and fiscal responsibility.