SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1393        FILED ON: 1/19/2023

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 549

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Patrick M. O'Connor

_________________

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 banning the retail sale of dogs, cats, and rabbits in new pet shops.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

 

Patrick M. O'Connor

First Plymouth and Norfolk

 

Adam J. Scanlon

14th Bristol

1/20/2023

Jack Patrick Lewis

7th Middlesex

1/26/2023

Michael O. Moore

Second Worcester

2/2/2023

Angelo J. Puppolo, Jr.

12th Hampden

2/6/2023

John F. Keenan

Norfolk and Plymouth

2/14/2023

James K. Hawkins

2nd Bristol

2/24/2023

Jason M. Lewis

Fifth Middlesex

3/3/2023

Paul W. Mark

Berkshire, Hampden, Franklin and Hampshire

3/6/2023

Steven S. Howitt

4th Bristol

3/6/2023

Bradley H. Jones, Jr.

20th Middlesex

3/6/2023

James B. Eldridge

Middlesex and Worcester

3/13/2023

Pavel Payano

First Essex

3/14/2023

Bruce E. Tarr

First Essex and Middlesex

3/27/2023

John C. Velis

Hampden and Hampshire

6/12/2023

Adam Gomez

Hampden

11/9/2023

John J. Cronin

Worcester and Middlesex

11/14/2023

Joanne M. Comerford

Hampshire, Franklin and Worcester

11/21/2023

Nick Collins

First Suffolk

1/19/2024

Patricia D. Jehlen

Second Middlesex

1/25/2024


SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1393        FILED ON: 1/19/2023

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 549

By Mr. O'Connor, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 549) of Patrick M. O'Connor, Adam Scanlon, Jack Patrick Lewis, Michael O. Moore and other members of the General Court for legislation to ban the retail sale of dogs, cats, and rabbits in new pet shops.  Environment and Natural Resources.

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

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

_______________

 

An Act banning the retail sale of dogs, cats, and rabbits in new pet shops.

 

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 39A of Chapter 129 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2020 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting before the word “Every”, in line 1, the letter:-(a)

SECTION 2. Section 39A of Chapter 129 of the General Law, , is hereby further amended by striking out the word “section”, in line 13, and inserting in place thereof the following word:-subsection

SECTION 3. Section 39A of Chapter 129 of the General Laws is hereby further amended by inserting after subsection (a) the following new subsections:-

(b) No person engaged in the business of operating a pet shop for which a license must be obtained pursuant to subsection (a); and are regulated under 330 CMR 12.00 shall sell or offer for sale a dog or cat, unless:

(1) the person engaged in the business of operating the pet shop received a Class A license from the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources on or before the effective date of this act; and

(2) such person only sells or offers for sale dogs or cats from the location licensed to sell or offer for sale dogs or cats under subsection (b) paragraph (1).

(c) No person engaged in the business of operating a pet shop for which a license must be obtained pursuant to subsection (a); and are regulated under 330 CMR 12.00 shall sell or offer for sale a rabbit, unless:

(1) the person engaged in the business of operating the pet shop sold rabbits on or before the effective date of this act; and

(2) such person only sells or offers for sale rabbits from the location licensed to sell or offer for sale animals under 330 CMR 12.00.

(d) Nothing in subsections (b) or (c) shall affect the authority of any town, city, or other locality to regulate or prohibit the sale of dogs, cats, or rabbits.

SECTION 4. Whereas, the deferred operation of this act would tend to defeat its purpose, which is to establish forthwith certain changes to pet shop licensing and operations law, therefore, it is hereby declared to be an emergency law, necessary for the immediate preservation of the public health.