prohibiting certain unlawfully present felons from occupying or renting real property, relative to pet vendor foster home and defining pet vendor foster facility, and providing procedures for the potential confiscation of livestock involved in cruelty to animal cases.
What changed between versions
The bill's title and scope expanded from solely addressing unlawfully present felons renting property to also covering pet vendor foster homes, pet vendor foster facility definitions, and livestock confiscation procedures in animal cruelty cases.
New definitions added for 'pet vendor foster home' (a private residence associated with a licensed pet vendor used for temporary care of animals when deemed in the animal's best interest by a licensed veterinarian) and 'pet vendor foster facility' (a facility housing animals owned by a licensed pet vendor for medical or behavioral rehabilitation).
Pet vendors must report at least annually on all associated pet vendor foster homes to the department of agriculture, markets, and food to ensure compliance with licensure, animal inventory, and pet limit requirements. Foster home listings are designated confidential and exempt from public disclosure.
New detailed procedures for livestock confiscation in animal cruelty cases (RSA 644:8 IV-b) including: requirement that investigating officers be accompanied by the state veterinarian or designee; 10-day return deadline if no charges are filed; right of charged person to have livestock examined by a chosen veterinarian at their own expense; court priority for livestock cases; provisions for temporary custody petitions by non-defendant owners; restrictions on spaying/neutering confiscated livestock pending court disposition; euthanasia provision if cost of care exceeds allowable reimbursement; and cost recovery from convicted persons.
New procedures for temporary protective custody of livestock (RSA 644:8 IV-c) including: requirement that owner or caretaker not be present; probable cause standard; written notice requirements; 10-day return deadline if no charges filed; lactating livestock must not be separated from non-weaned offspring without veterinary authorization; restrictions on who may participate in investigations; nondisclosure agreement requirements for those taking custody.
Existing animal cruelty provisions (RSA 644:8 IV(a)(1) and IV-a(a)) were amended to explicitly exclude livestock from the general confiscation and protective custody procedures, directing those cases to the new livestock-specific paragraphs IV-b and IV-c.
Veterinarian liability protection expanded: licensed veterinarians and the state veterinarian or designee are held harmless from criminal or civil liability for decisions made under animal cruelty provisions. State veterinarian powers were also expanded to include general charge of enforcement and a secondary assistance role in investigating cruelty complaints at the request of local law enforcement.
RSA 644:8 IV-a(b), which previously addressed livestock confiscation, is repealed and replaced by the new more detailed provisions in paragraphs IV-b and IV-c.
Effective date restructured into three tiers: Section 1 (unlawfully present felons) takes effect 60 days after passage; Sections 4-9 (livestock cruelty procedures, veterinarian liability, state veterinarian powers, repeal) take effect January 1, 2027; the remainder (pet vendor definitions and reporting) takes effect upon passage.
