Amendment ID: S3014-9-R2

2nd Redraft Amendment 9

Protecting All Domestic Animals

Messrs. Montigny, Lewis, Collins and Moore, Ms Howard and Ms. Jehlen move that the proposed new draft be amended in section 7, by striking out, in line 67, the word “and”; and

in said section 7, by inserting after the word “condition”, in line 69, the following words:- “; and (iii) as applied to a dog, inhumane chaining or tethering at any time, taunting, prodding, hitting, harassing, threatening or otherwise harming a tethered or confined dog, including circumstances that could cause harm to a dog’s physical or emotional health”; and

by inserting after section 12 the following section:-

“SECTION 12A. Section 77 of chapter 272 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2024 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after the word “shall”, in line 20, the following words:- (i)(A) for a first offense, be issued a written warning or punished by a fine of not more than $50; (B) for a second offense, be punished by a fine of not more than $200; and (C) for a third or subsequent offense, be punished by a fine of not more than $500; provided, however, that for a third or subsequent offense, the animal may be subject to impoundment in a local shelter or appropriate facility at the owner’s, keeper’s, guardian’s or whoever otherwise has the charge or custody of the animal’s expense, pending compliance with this section or the owner, keeper, guardian or whoever otherwise has the charge or custody of the animal may lose ownership or custody of the animal; provided, further, that, a special state police officer appointed under section 57 of chapter 22C or an animal control officer appointed under section 151 of chapter 140, may enforce this clause following the same procedures relating to notice and court procedure in section 21D of chapter 40 for the non-criminal disposition of a violation; and provided, further, that nothing in this clause shall preclude prosecution under this section by sworn law enforcement officers; or (ii).”.