It has come to our attention that the Humane Society of the United States and its New Hampshire affiliate are accusing the AKC of “handing out a $1,000 reward” to D.O.G.S. for the defeat of SB569. This is flat-out NOT true, and we hope that HSUS and HSUS-NH will make a correction.
The AKC presented the “Walter Bebout Memorial Award for Leadership in Canine Legislation” to D.O.G.S., with its accompanying check, in the beginning of MARCH before SB 569 had even passed out of the Senate. The defeat of SB569 didn’t occur until over two months later at the end of MAY.
D.O.G.S. was very honored to receive this award. D.O.G.S. received this recognition for being a leader for over a quarter century in ensuring the health, safety and welfare of New Hampshire’s household pets and their owners. During those 25 years+, DOGS has advocated for everything from the creation of the first-in-the nation State Spay/Neuter fund for low-income owners, funded solely by dog license fees to the first-in-the-nation requirement that shelters check incoming strays for microchips to a holding period for stray cats in shelters – at the time the shelters were euthanizing cats the day they arrived; and to ensure that search and rescue dogs and their owners couldn’t be turned away from a motel when responding to an official request for help.
After the requirement to scan for microchips was inadvertently omitted from the law last year when NH- RSA437 was rewritten, Rep. Steven Smith, in response to our request sponsored a bill to make sure that all animal shelters in New Hampshire will once again check pets for microchips or other permanent forms of identification. This will ensure the best possible chance for lost pets to be reunited with their owners. In support of this bill, the American Kennel Club has offered to supply up to 20 shelters with free universal scanners.
