SB 446 — requiring animal care center operators to notify dog owners when a dog will be left unattended and to report injuries to animals or people which occur on the premises of the animal care center.

UponFacilities ashall thirdmaintain infraction,an aemergency centeranimal maycare beand closedcontinuity byplan localto lawensure enforcement.animals are properly cared for or transferred in the event of a closure.

Enforcement under this section by a law enforcement officer or an authorized inspector may be appealed within 21 days to the circuit court in the judicial district in which the animal care center is maintained.

The feecost for certification shall be $100,a non-refundable $200 fee, payable to the department of agriculture, markets, and food at the time of application or renewal.

The commissioner shall issue certification upon determination that the applicant meets the requirements established under this chapter and any rules adopted pursuant SB 446-FN - AS INTRODUCED - Page 3 - thereto.

SB 446-FN - AS AMENDED BY THE SENATE - Page 4 - 2 EffectiveSale Date.of Pets and Disposition of Unclaimed Animals;

ThisTransfer actof shallAnimals takeand effectBirds; January 1, 2027.

LBARequirements. 26-2013 Revised 12/9/25 SB 446-FN- FISCAL NOTE AS INTRODUCED AN ACT requiring animal care center operators to notify dog owners when a dog will be left unattended and to report injuries to animals or people which occur on the premises of the animal care center.

Amend the introductory paragraph of RSA 437:3 to read as follows:

No pet vendor shall transfer animals or birds without a license.

A pet vendor shall apply to the commissioner for a license, giving such information as the commissioner shall require.

A pet vendor that transfers more than [50] 30 or more dogs, [50] 30 or more cats, [50] 30 or more ferrets, or 50 or more birds shall include proof that the zoning enforcement official of the municipality wherein any facility is to be maintained has certified that the facility conforms to the municipal zoning regulations in his or her application.

The application shall be accompanied by a non-refundable $200 fee.

All licenses shall expire [on June 30 of each year] every 2 years and be subject to renewal upon submission of a new application.

No licenses shall be transferable.

A pet vendor licensed under this subdivision shall:

3 Effective Date.

I.

RSA 437:25, III and IV, RSA 437:26, and RSA 437:27, as inserted by section 1 of this act, shall take effect January 1, 2028.

II.

The remainder of this act shall take effect January 1, 2027.

LBA 26-2013 3/19/26 SB 446-FN- FISCAL NOTE AS AMENDED BY THE SENATE (AMENDMENT #2026-0685s) AN ACT requiring animal care center operators to notify dog owners when a dog will be left unattended and to report injuries to animals or people which occur on the premises of the animal care center.

Estimated State Impact FY 2026 FY 2027 FY 2028 FY 2029 Indeterminable Indeterminable Indeterminable Increase Increase Revenue $0 $28,500Decrease $28,693$30,000 $28,836to $30,000 to $30,000 $70,000 $70,000 Revenue Fund(s) General Fund Expenditures* $0 $237,000$0 $258,000$240,000 $261,000$264,000 Funding Source(s) General Fund Appropriations* $0 $0 $0 $0 Funding Source(s) None *Expenditure = Cost of bill *Appropriation = Authorized funding to cover cost of bill Estimated Political Subdivision Impact FY 2026 FY 2027 FY 2028 FY 2029 County Revenue $0 $0 $0 $0 County Expenditures $0 $0 $0 $0 Local Revenue $0 $0 $0 $0 Indeterminable Indeterminable Indeterminable Local Expenditures $0 Increase Increase Increase METHODOLOGY:

The bill also requires annual unannounced inspections by localthe lawDepartment enforcementof orAgriculture, authorizedMarkets, inspectorsand Food every 2 years and establishes a biennial certification requirement for animal care centers, issued by the DepartmentDepartment, ofeffective Agriculture,January Markets,1, and2028. Food.

Certification must be renewed every two years and requires a $100$200 fee.

The bill also changes pet vendor licenses from annual to biennial, effective January 1, 2027 The Department of Agriculture, Markets, and Food (DAMF) states thatapproximately the300 definitionto of500 “animalfacilities carewould center”be issubject assumed to remaincertification unchanged.under the bill.

TheBased numberon ofthe facilities$200 requiring certification isfee, basedthe onDepartment onlineestimates datastate availablerevenue asfrom ofcertification Novemberfees 18,to 2025,range whichfrom identified$60,000 571to facilities,$100,000 includingannually shelters,beginning veterinaryin hospitals,FY groomers,2028. kennels, dog daycares, and pet stores that handle more than five dogs.

BasedThe onDepartment further states that changing the $100pet certificationvendor fee,license from annual to biennial without increasing the Departmentcurrent assumesfee statewould result in an estimated decrease in revenue of $57,100approximately from$30,000 certificationbeginning fees.in FY 2027.

BecauseAs thisa $100result, certificatethe shallDepartment beestimates valida fordecrease ain periodrevenue of 2$30,000 years.in FY 2027 and a net increase in state revenue ranging from $30,000 to $70,000 annually beginning in FY 2028.

The Department assumesstates thethat followingit revenuewill basedrequire ona whentwo-year certificatesimplementation willperiod beto issued:manage workload and equipment deployment consistent with the biennial certification cycle.

$28,500To foradminister FYthe 2027,program, $28,693DAMF forassumes FY 2029 and $28,836 for FY 2029 The Department states that it will require athree two-yearnew implementationAgricultural periodTechnician topositions manage(19-4010 workloadAGRI andTECHS-1 equipmentSOC19-04) deploymentbeginning consistentJanuary with1, the2028. biennial certification cycle.

To administer the program, DAMF assumes it will require three new Agricultural Technician positions (19-4010 AGRI TECHS-1 SOC19-04) beginning January 1, 2027.

The estimated cost for the three new technicians, including operating costs and a vehicle for each position,position iswith $237,000a instart FYdate 2027of (partial year due to the January 11, start2028, date),is $258,000$240,000 in FY 2028,2028 and $261,000$264,000 in FY 2029.

The NewDepartment Hampshirefurther Municipalstates Associationthat (NHMA)moving statesto thisbiennial billinspections willand resultlicensure indoes increasednot municipalreduce administrativeinitial workload and enforcementwill costs.not reduce staffing needs.

AnnualDue unannouncedto inspectionsexisting mustworkload, bethe performedDepartment byhas localalready lawreduced enforcementplanned orinspections otherunder authorizedcurrent inspectors.programs.

Municipalities must also investigate all injury reports submitted by animal care centers and must publish investigative reports online when enforcement action results.

NHMA indicates these requirements will increase local government workload and legal exposure, with costs dependent on the number of animal care centers in each municipality and the volume of injury reports.

NHMA estimates that smaller municipalities may experience added costs of less than $10,000 per year, while larger municipalities with more animal care centers may see annual costs between $10,000 and $100,000.

These impacts are indeterminable because the number of facilities and volume of investigations varies by municipality.

Some municipalities that already conduct optional inspections may experience lower increases.

Department of Agriculture, Markets, and Food and New Hampshire Municipal Association