NH: New Hampshire
Summary: New Hampshire has "Max's Law" (SB 268, 2023; RSA 153-A:37), which lets EMS treat and transport injured operational canines. Harming a police dog or horse is a Class B felony (RSA 644:8-d). There's nothing on vests, retirement or retired care.
Body armor
- None found.
Medical & insurance
- RSA 153-A:37, Operational canines; hospital treatment, enacted by SB 268 (2023), "Max's Law," prime sponsor Sen. Lou D'Allesandro (D), with a long bipartisan cosponsor list. It allows pre hospital treatment and transport of operational canines (police, search and rescue, scent detection, comfort dogs) hurt or sick on duty, when no person needs transport, with good faith liability protection. The parents of a slain officer pushed for it.
- No funding or insurance for working K9 care was found.
Retirement & service limits
- None found.
Post retirement care
- None found.
Penalties for harming police animals
- RSA 644:8-d. Willfully torturing, beating, kicking, striking, mutilating, injuring, disabling or mistreating, or willfully causing the death of, a law enforcement dog or horse (knowing its status) is a Class B felony. Willful interference with its lawful work is a misdemeanor. Source: 1988, 203:1; amended 1994 and 1998.
Pending or failed bills
- None found for vests or retirement.
Sources
- RSA 153-A:37: https://gc.nh.gov/rsa/html/XII/153-A/153-A-37.htm
- SB 268 (2023): https://graniterecord.org/bill/2023/sb268 and https://legiscan.com/NH/text/SB268/id/2749996
- Concord Monitor, "Law will allow EMTs to help K-9s" (June 21, 2023): https://www.concordmonitor.com/2023/06/21/new-law-will-allow-emts-to-help-k-9s-51379707/
- Police1: https://www.police1.com/k-9/articles/parents-of-slain-officer-push-for-nh-law-to-save-injured-police-k-9s-AltRP8mqkKd5aKBB/
- RSA 644:8-d: https://gc.nh.gov/rsa/html/LXII/644/644-8-d.htm