SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2908

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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

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SENATE, July 29, 2024.

The committee on Senate Rules to whom was referred the Senate Bill relative to the humane protection of animals (Senate, No. 2757) reports, that the matter be placed in the Orders of the Day for the next session with an amendment substituting a new draft entitled "An Act relative to the humane protection of animals" (Senate, No. 2908).

For the committee,

Joan B. Lovely

        FILED ON: 7/29/2024

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2908

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_______________

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

_______________

An Act providing for the humane protection of animals.

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 140 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 141B the following 2 sections:-

Section 141C. (a) No person shall sell, offer to sell, exchange, trade, barter, lease or transfer for permanent physical placement a dog or cat that is less than 8 weeks of age.

(b) A violation of this subsection shall be punished by a fine of not more than $100. Each dog or cat sold, exchanged, traded, bartered, leased or transferred for permanent physical placement in violation of this section shall constitute a separate offense.

(c) A city or town shall enforce this section through its animal control officers or police officers in a manner consistent with the disposition provisions in section 21D of chapter 40.

Section 141D. (a) No person shall sell, offer to sell, exchange, trade, barter, lease or transfer any dog or cat on any roadside, public right-of-way, parkway, median, park or other recreation area, flea market or other outdoor market or commercial or retail parking lot.

(b) This section shall not apply to the: (1) transfer, regardless of payment or compensation, of a dog or cat by, or to, a shelter or animal rescue organization licensed under section 39A of chapter 129 or a municipal animal control facility; or (2) display of a dog or cat as part of a state or county fair exhibition, a 4-H program or similar exhibition or educational program.

(c) A violation of this section shall be punished by a fine of not more than $50 for a first offense, a fine of not more than $100 for a second offense and a fine of not more than $300 for each subsequent offense. Each dog or cat sold, offered to be sold, exchanged, traded, bartered, leased or transferred in violation of this section shall constitute a separate offense.

(d) A city or town shall enforce this section through its animal control officers or police officers in a manner consistent with the disposition provisions in section 21D of chapter 40.