HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1553        FILED ON: 1/13/2009

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1499

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the Year Two Thousand Nine

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An Act to Include Animals in Abuse Prevention Orders..

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;