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

Dear Governor and Members of the New Hampshire Legislature, I am a New Hampshire resident writing to express serious concern about the excessive volume of animal welfare legislation currently moving through the State House. There are 28 animal welfare bills under consideration this session, a number wildly out of proportion with the size of New Hampshire and its nonprofit animal welfare sector. By comparison, New York advanced six animal welfare bills last year. California, Texas, Pennsylvania, and Florida are all in the single digits for 2025. This follows a similar pattern in New Hampshire, where approximately 40 animal welfare bills were drafted in 2024 and more than two dozen are moving again this year. This level of legislative activity is excessive, unreasonable, and untenable. The cumulative effect is constant micromanagement, unfunded mandates, and expanding compliance requirements that pull resources away from animal care, enforcement support, and public safety. New Hampshire Humane Society and other providers currently absorb the majority of costs associated with cruelty cases, medical care, evidence holding, rabies compliance, and long-term housing for animals involved in court proceedings. This prevents those costs from falling directly on municipalities, police departments, and taxpayers. If the current trajectory of overregulation continues, animal welfare organizations have warned they will be forced to reduce or withdraw from municipal services. In that case, the cost, liability, and administrative responsibility for animal welfare enforcement will shift directly to towns, police departments, and taxpayers. Many communities have no viable alternative provider. I urge you to slow this process, meaningfully engage front-line animal welfare professionals, and stop advancing legislation that destabilizes the systems New Hampshire relies on to protect animals, public safety, and municipal budgets. Sincerely, A concerned New Hampshire resident