HB250: (Second New Title) enabling local governing bodies to regulate the muzzling of dogs.

CHAPTER 272

HB 250 - FINAL VERSION

26Mar2025... 0896h

05/01/2025 1697s

26Jun2025... 2790CofC

26Jun2025... 2923EBA

2025 SESSION

25-0255

08/09

HOUSE BILL 250

AN ACT enabling local governing bodies to regulate the muzzling of dogs.

SPONSORS: Rep. Newell, Ches. 4; Rep. N. Germana, Ches. 15; Rep. Jacobs, Ches. 15; Rep. O'Rorke, Ches. 7; Rep. Jones, Ches. 3

COMMITTEE: Environment and Agriculture

─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────

AMENDED ANALYSIS

This bill enables local governing bodies to regulate the muzzling of dogs and excludes certain working dogs from such regulations.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.

Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]

Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

26Mar2025... 0896h

05/01/2025 1697s

26Jun2025... 2790CofC

26Jun2025... 2923EBA 25-0255

08/09

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty Five

AN ACT enabling local governing bodies to regulate the muzzling of dogs.

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

272:1 City or Town Bylaws; Restraint of Dogs. Amend RSA 466:39 to read as follows:

466:39 City or Town Bylaws. The local governing body may make such additional bylaws and regulations concerning the licensing, muzzling of vicious dogs as defined in RSA 466:31, II(g), and restraining of dogs as it deems reasonable, and may affix penalties not exceeding $50 for a breach thereof. Such bylaws and regulations shall relate only to dogs owned or kept in such city or town, and the annual fee required for a license shall in no case be more than $1 in addition to the sum hereby required. The following dogs shall be exempt from this section: dogs being used for hunting, supervised competition, exhibition or training for such activities if accompanied by the owner or custodian, or a dog which is guarding, working, or herding livestock, as defined in RSA 21:34-a, II(a)(4) if the owner or custodian is able to see or hear the dog or have reasonable knowledge of where the dog is located, even if such dog is out of the line of the owner or custodian's sight.

272:2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.

Approved: August 01, 2025

Effective Date: September 30, 2025