O P I N I O N
THE SOAPBOX
Stand up. Speak up. It’s your turn.
A hearing will be held Feb. 3 on House Bill 1766, relative to cruelty to livestock. This bill was introduced last year as HB616 which humane organizations across the state vehemently opposed.
HB1766 is designed to change existing animal cruelty law and make it harder to protect the welfare of equines and other livestock. Our State Representatives on the Environment and Agriculture Committee will hold a public hearing on this damaging bill tomorrow, TUESDAY, 2/3 at 3 p.m.
Please OPPOSE this bill through online testimony and consider attending the hearing if you are able.
TODAY, PLEASE SUBMIT YOUR ONLINE TESTIMONY: This is easy, impactful, and takes about five minutes. You must do so PRIOR TO the public hearing.
Click here: gc.nh.gov/house/committees/remotetestimony
Step 1: Personal Details
Step 2: Enter Date: Tuesday February 3, 2026
Step 3: Select –
a) Committee: Environment and Agriculture
b) Choose Bill: 3pm HB 1766
c) I am: A member of the public
d) Indicate your position on this bill: I oppose this bill
Step 4: Consider submitting testimony. Your voice matters – even a few sentences can make a difference. Information below can be used to frame your comments if you wish.
If you can, we encourage you to attend the public hearing:
When: Tuesday, February 3 at 3:00 p.m.
Where: 1 Granite Place, Concord, NH Room 153
What: Show up, sign-in, and signal next to your name that you oppose HB 1766. You may also choose to voice your testimony. Two minutes maximum.
Step 5: Legislation is a long process. Continue to follow the bill from the House to the Senate. We will keep you posted and will need your help again. Thank you!
Facts about NHSPCA and cruelty/neglect cases:
85 towns/police departments, across the state, have sought our assistance in investigating these cases.Responded to over 800 complaints received in 2025.Cases involved 5,600 animals, 326 of which were equines.We possess skills and experience to investigate and provide care that towns rarely have.
What you need to know about HB 1766:
- HB 1766 would require that all people who have animals seized, regardless of unintentional neglect or specific cruelty, be charged with animal cruelty. This means that even those with dementia, in financial distress or other compromised situations would be required to be charged or we would not be able to help their animals.
- HB 1766 switches the responsibility for establishing probable cause to confiscate equines and other livestock from a licensed veterinarian to our State Veterinarian (or their designee). This is already a process that is under the constant pressure of time, during which suffering continues, and life or death may hang in the balance. This adds another layer of management which further complicates and prolongs the process.
- HB 1766 would eliminate any duly licensed humane society from having any role in the confiscation of livestock in cruelty cases. The current law allows this, with exception to livestock without a licensed vet. This bill removes humane organizations like the NHSPCA as an able party and further states that because they are not an employee of the government we would no longer be allowed to contribute our assistance in the process of determining temporary protective custody, discussions about seizure and would be forbidden from taking part in or be present during any investigation in a complaint. Only a law enforcement officer, our State Veterinarian (or their designee), and an Animal Control Officer can have any involvement. Prohibiting duly licensed humane societies in this way will eliminate a vital resource in the investigation of animal cruelty.
- HB 1766 seeks to reduce the role of duly licensed humane societies to little more than organizations that have facilities to house confiscated animals. Further they will be required to sign binding nondisclosure agreements relative to their knowledge of cruelty cases and are prohibited from soliciting donations based on any specifics or likeness of cruelty cases eliminating the ability to soliciting donations for their cost of care.
- HB 1766 eliminates the list of penalties offered to the court which could be imposed upon convicted offenders including: restrictions from possessing animals, engaging in employment in the care of animals and other prohibitions necessary to protect animals from these same people in the future. Having this language removed dilutes the power of the court thereby enabling future abuses to potentially continue.
For more information:
HB 1766: gc.nh.gov/bill_status/legacy/bs2016/billText.aspx?id=2048
Existing law 644:8 Cruelty to Animals: gc.nh.gov/rsa/html/LXII/644/644-8.htm
Sheila Ryan is Senior Vice President of Philanthropy for NH SPCA.
Beg to differ? Agree to disagree? Comment below using our DISQUS app. Got issues of your own? You can DIY your Soapbox submission here.