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April 26, 2024 Clear | 53°F
The 193rd General Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts

Section 25C: Quarantined animals; prohibited acts; penalties

Section 25C. Any fish, bird, mammal, reptile or amphibian which has been quarantined or isolated by order or notice of the director as authorized by section twenty-five A, shall, during the continuance of such quarantine or isolation, be deemed to be afflicted with a contagious or infectious disease or parasite. Whoever knowingly breaks or authorizes or causes to be broken a quarantine so imposed or whoever, contrary to such order or notice of quarantine or isolation, knowingly removes any fish, bird, mammal, reptile or amphibian or authorizes or causes it to be removed from a building, place or enclosure where it is quarantined or isolated, or whoever, contrary to an order or notice of quarantine, knowingly places or causes or authorizes to be placed any other fish, bird, mammal, reptile or amphibian within a building, place or enclosure, where any fish, bird, mammal, reptile or amphibian is quarantined, or in contact therewith, or whoever knowingly conceals, sells, removes or transports, or knowingly causes or authorizes to be concealed, sold, removed or transported, any fish, bird, mammal, reptile or amphibian, knowing or having reasonable cause to believe that it is afflicted with a contagious or infectious disease or parasite, or whoever knowingly authorizes or permits such fish, bird, mammal, reptile or amphibian to go at large or be released to the wilds within the commonwealth, or whoever knowingly brings or authorizes or permits to be brought from another country, state, district or territory into the commonwealth, any fish, bird, mammal, reptile or amphibian which is afflicted with or has been exposed to a contagious or infectious disease or parasite, shall be punished by a fine of not less than one hundred nor more than five hundred dollars or by imprisonment for not more than six months, or both.