U.S. Census Bureau: New Hampshire Quick Facts

New Hampshire Department of Agriculture, Markets & Food Rules

The Animal Population Control program (funded by a $2 additional dog license fee) provides financial assistance for low-income pet owners and people adopting pets from animal shelters to neuter their cat or dog. It is part of the state's program to reduce pet overpopulation and threats to public health and safety from mid-Atlantic rabies and other sources.

New Hampshire launched a statewide publicly funded spay and neuter program in 1994. Between 1994 and 2000, the state's eight largest shelters admitted 30,985 fewer dogs and cats than in the six years preceding the program, and saved an estimated $2.2 million (based on a per-animal sheltering cost of $105). In this same time period, New Hampshire's euthanasia rate dropped 75%.

Funds are maintained by the State Treasurer in a separate account which is dedicated for the sole use of the program.

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No known Animal Friendly License Plate legislative efforts in the works. Please send us up-to-date information if you are working on, or have additional information about this program.


GET THE PLATES

Senate Bill 443 ( 2000, This bill requires veterinarians participating in the animal population control program to supply the commissioner of agriculture, markets, and food a fee schedule listing fees charged for animal sterilization, examination, and presurgical immunizations. This bill also requires that such veterinarians be reimbursed for the full cost of presurgical immunizations when participating in the reduced fee program. This bill was a request of the pet overpopulation committee.)

Senate Bill 407 (2000, This bill requires town and city clerks to include with the annual list of owners who have failed to renew a dog license a list of those dog owners who have failed to license a new dog. This bill also extends the return date of the warrant in which is recorded the number of dog owners who received and paid a civil forfeiture, the number of dogs in the town or city which have been seized, and the number of owners who have received a summons for failure to pay the civil forfeiture or to license the dog.This bill is a request of the pet overpopulation committee.)

Senate Bill 402 (1998, This bill codifies the pet overpopulation committee and requires the committee to submit an annual report.)

House Bill 1601 (1996, This bill extends the reporting date for the pet overpopulation committee to 1997.)

House Bill 406 (1993, This bill establishes a committee to study pet overpopulation in New Hampshire. The bill requires the committee to submit its report, including any proposed legislation, to the speaker of the house, senate president and the governor on or before November 1, 1993.)

Senate Bill 151 (1993, This bill requires owners of dogs, which are not licensed under a group license, to pay an animal population control fee in addition to the license fee. The additional fee shall be used to establish an animal population control program to provide low-cost spaying and neutering services to eligible animal owners. The program is to be administered by the commissioner of the department of agriculture, and he is granted rulemaking authority for that purpose. The bill makes an appropriation for the purposes of the bill.)

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY

Senate Bill 401 (1998, a proposal to establish a special animal welfare motor vehicle license plate the fees for which would support the animal population control program)

House Bill 1549 (1994 proposal to add a 2 percent tax on pet products to fund a spay/neuter program)

Senate Bill 0092 ( 1999 proposal to allow the Commissioner of the Department of Agriculture to expend up to 2 percent from the Companion Animal Neutering Fund for grant purposes. To the extent that these grants are made, additional funds could be expended that otherwise may not have occurred.)

Cost: $2 surcharge on dog licenses.
Annual sales: 130,000 licenses
Annual Revenue: $260,000.

Stats: 1994-2003: $1,236,817 spent, 29,658 surgeries performed.

COMMENTS