Section 466:6-a Breeder's Health Certificate.
I. No dog shall be transferred in the state or out of the state by a breeder without first being inoculated against infectious canine diseases using a vaccine approved by the state veterinarian and unless accompanied by an official health certificate issued by a licensed veterinarian within 14 days. Said certificate shall be in triplicate, one copy of which shall be sent to the state veterinarian, one copy of which shall be kept by the breeder of said dog for a period of at least 3 years and one copy of which shall be given to the purchaser. If an official health certificate is produced, it shall be prima facie evidence of transfer.
II. For purposes of this section, an official health certificate means a certificate signed by a licensed veterinarian on a form approved by the state veterinarian, containing the name and address of the breeder, the age, sex, breed and description of the dog, a list of all types of vaccines or medication administered to said dog, and the certification of the veterinarian that the dog is free from visual evidence of communicable diseases such as kennel cough (infectious tracheo bronchitis), canine distemper, and external and internal parasites (including coccidiosis).
III. No breeder shall deliver or cause to be delivered any dog less than 8 weeks of age.
IV. All incorporated or chartered humane societies with operating shelters in the state of New Hampshire are exempt from the requirements of this section relative to selling or transferring dogs except that dogs which have been imported into the state for transfer with or without a fee shall be accompanied by an official health certificate.
V. In this section, ""breeder'' means any person who breeds dogs for sale, gift or transfer in any manner.
V-a. The commissioner of the department of agriculture, markets, and food or designee is hereby authorized on the commissioner's own initiative or pursuant to complaints of other persons to investigate any complaints made pursuant to this section and to enforce the penalties of RSA 466:6-a, VI. The commissioner shall adopt rules under RSA 541-A relative to the procedures for such investigations.
VI. (a) Any person who violates this subdivision shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.
(b) In addition, any person or owner who violates any of the provisions of this subdivision or rule adopted under it may be subject to an administrative fine levied by the commissioner not to exceed $1,000 for each violation.
Source. 1977, 356:3. 1979, 24:1, 2. 1987, 186:2, 3. 1995, 130:4; 298:7. 2004, 7:3, eff. April 5, 2004. 2007, 160:4, eff. Aug. 17, 2007. 2009, 296:11, eff. Sept. 29, 2009.