SENATE DOCKET, NO. 325        FILED ON: 1/13/2023

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1126

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Bruce E. Tarr

_________________

To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act promoting pet safety aka Crawford's Law.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

 

Bruce E. Tarr

First Essex and Middlesex

 

Vanna Howard

17th Middlesex

2/2/2023

Patrick M. O'Connor

First Plymouth and Norfolk

5/1/2023


SENATE DOCKET, NO. 325        FILED ON: 1/13/2023

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1126

By Mr. Tarr, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 1126) of Bruce E. Tarr and Vanna Howard for legislation to promote pet safety aka Crawford's Law.  The Judiciary.

 

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE SENATE, NO. 1131 OF 2021-2022.]

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)

_______________

 

An Act promoting pet safety aka Crawford's Law.

 

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. Chapter 272 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2018 Official Edition is hereby amended by inserting after section 77C the following section 77D:-

(a) A person who by willful, wanton, reckless, or negligent act causes the unnecessary or unjustified death of a cat or dog shall be liable in damages for the fair monetary value of the deceased animal to the owner of the animal, including, but not limited to, damages for the loss of comfort, protection, companionship, other special damages, services of the deceased animal to its owner; reasonable afterlife expenses of the deceased animal; court costs and attorney's fees; and other reasonable damages resulting from the willful, wanton, reckless, or negligent act. Non-economic damages shall have a cap value of $30,000.00

(b) Damages under this section for unnecessary or unjustified death sustained by an animal shall be recovered in an action of tort by the aggrieved, commenced within three years from the date, of death or from the date when the aggrieved knew, or in the exercise of reasonable diligence, should have known, of the factual basis for a claim of relief