New Hampshire Senate advances pet parity bill

CONCORD, N.H. – Moving toward pet parity, the New Hampshire Senate has backed a bill that would require drivers to report collisions with cats as well as dogs.

State law already requires those who run over dogs to notify either police or the animal’s owner or else face a $1,000 fine. The Senate voted 20-4 on Thursday to add cats to the reporting requirement as well.

As passed by the House, the bill was known as “Arrow’s Law” in honour of a family pet that was killed outside the home of Rep. Daryl Abbas, the Salem Republican who sponsored the bill. The Senate removed the title, however, sending the bill back to the House for concurrence.

Gov. Chris Sununu has said he will sign the bill if it gets to his desk.