HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1238        FILED ON: 1/13/2009

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1319

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the Year Two Thousand Nine

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An Act to Protect Animals in Domestic Violence Cases..

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1. Section 3 of chapter 209A of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2006 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after the word “minor” in line 6 the following words;

;  ordering the possession, care and control of any animal owned, possessed, leased, kept, or held by either party or a minor child residing in the household to the plaintiff. The court may order the defendant to refrain from abusing, threatening, taking, interfering with, transferring, encumbering, concealing, harming, or otherwise disposing of the animal;

SECTION 2. Section 6 of said chapter 209A of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2006 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after paragraph (7) the following paragraph:

(8) assist the abused person in locating temporary shelter for any animals in the household, the safety of which may be  threatened by remaining in the household;

SECTION 3.  The department of corrections shall study the feasibility of expanding the service dog training program at MCI Framingham to accommodate dogs who need foster care placement due to domestic violence.

SECTION 4. Section 3 of chapter 258C of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2006 Official Edition, is hereby amended by  adding  the following paragraph:-

Expenses incurred for veterinarian services as the direct result of injury to, or death of, an animal in a case of domestic violence, shall be compensable in accordance with this chapter; provided, however, that when claiming compensation for such expenses, the claimant must demonstrate an out of pocket loss or legal liability for payment of such expenses.