SENATE DOCKET, NO. 189        FILED ON: 1/9/2025

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No.         

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Bruce E. Tarr

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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.

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PETITION OF:

SENATE DOCKET, NO. 189        FILED ON: 1/9/2025

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No.         

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE SENATE, NO. 1126 OF 2023-2024.]

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)

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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:
 

Chapter 272 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 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