Kayla Chamberlain

Submitted by Kayla Chamberlain Owner, 3P Haven LLC Colebrook, New Hampshire My name is Kayla Chamberlain, and I am the owner of 3P Haven LLC, a small agricultural operation in northern New Hampshire. I am writing in opposition to this proposed legislation regulating livestock guardian dogs (LGDs). While I do not currently have a livestock guardian dog, I have owned one in the past and fully intend to utilize one again in the future as my farm continues to grow. Predator pressure in northern New Hampshire is real and includes coyotes, foxes, bobcats, and occasionally bear. Livestock guardian dogs are not companion animals — they are working animals bred and trained specifically to deter predators and protect livestock. I would like to emphasize three key concerns regarding this bill: 1. The Barking Standard Is Impractical and Unrealistic The provision stating that barking becomes excessive if it continues for more than ten consecutive minutes without the presence of a predator creates an impossible standard for enforcement and compliance. Livestock guardian dogs bark as a preventative deterrent. Their job is to signal to predators before an attack occurs. Farmers are not able to visually confirm predator presence every time a dog alerts — that is precisely why we have the dog. Requiring documentation of predator activity or creating penalties for barking that may be preventative rather than reactive undermines the very purpose of these animals. It effectively forces farmers to either: • Constantly monitor and investigate every bark throughout the night, or • Risk citations and escalating fines. This defeats the functional role of a guardian dog and creates an undue burden on small farms. 2. Overregulation of Working Farm Animals Livestock guardian dogs function as working agricultural tools. They are part of livestock protection infrastructure, much like fencing or barn systems. While they should absolutely be: • Vaccinated • Registered appropriately • Humanely housed and fed • Held accountable under existing dangerous dog laws if off-property incidents occur They should not be regulated in a way that treats normal working behavior as nuisance activity by default. Current RSA 466 provisions already address nuisance, menace, and vicious behavior. Adding a separate enforcement structure specific to LGDs risks confusion, duplication, and disproportionate penalties for lawful agricultural operations. 3. Disproportionate Penalties and Acreage Requirements The parcel-size requirements and escalating civil penalties may disproportionately impact small and mid-sized farms — particularly in rural northern counties where predator density is higher but farm parcel layouts vary. Many responsible farmers operate on multiple smaller adjacent parcels. Predator risk does not correlate neatly with acreage minimums. Additionally, escalating fines and potential revocation of the ability to use guardian dogs for 12 months could leave livestock unprotected, increasing losses and potentially pushing farmers toward more lethal predator control methods — which is counterproductive to coexistence efforts. A More Reasonable Approach If the legislature wishes to clarify LGD status, I respectfully suggest: • Recognizing livestock guardian dogs explicitly as working agricultural animals. • Maintaining standard vaccination and registration requirements. • Addressing nuisance complaints under existing RSA 466 frameworks rather than creating new rigid barking thresholds. • Allowing agricultural exemptions when dogs remain on their property and are actively engaged in livestock protection. New Hampshire has a long agricultural tradition. Predator deterrence through livestock guardian dogs is a humane, non-lethal, and widely accepted method of livestock protection. This bill, as written, risks discouraging responsible farming practices while solving a problem that is already addressed under current law. For these reasons, I respectfully urge the committee to vote Ought to Pass Inexpedient to Legislate (ITL) on this bill in its current form. Thank you for your time and consideration. Respectfully, Kayla Chamberlain Owner, 3P Haven LLC Colebrook, NH 603331-1118