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April 26, 2024 Clear | 54°F
The 193rd General Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
  1. General Laws
  2. Part I ADMINISTRATION OF THE GOVERNMENT
  3. Title XIX AGRICULTURE AND CONSERVATION
  4. Chapter 131 INLAND FISHERIES AND GAME AND OTHER NATURAL RESOURCES
  5. Section 82 Dogs, running at large; protection of deer

Section 82

Section 82: Dogs, running at large; protection of deer

Section 82. A person owning, keeping or possessing a dog shall not allow, permit or consent to such dog chasing, hunting, molesting, attacking or killing a deer. The director is hereby authorized to issue an order to restrain all dogs from running at large in any city or town where, in his opinion, such a restraining order is necessary to prevent dogs from chasing, hunting, molesting, attacking or killing deer. Any such order shall be in effect forty-eight hours after publication in one or more newspapers circulated in such city or town. When, in his opinion, the director determines that such restraining order is no longer necessary, he shall, by like publication, rescind such order. A person owning, keeping or possessing a dog shall restrain it from running at large in any city or town in which such a restraining order is in effect. The director of law enforcement, his deputy directors of enforcement, chiefs of enforcement, deputy chiefs of enforcement, environmental police officers and members of the state police in areas over which they have jurisdiction may destroy any such dog found chasing, hunting, molesting, attacking or killing a deer, without any liability on his part. During any period when no such order is in force, the director of law enforcement, his deputy directors of enforcement, chiefs of enforcement, deputy chiefs of enforcement, environmental police officers and members of the state police in areas over which they have jurisdiction may destroy any dog found chasing or hunting a deer if the dog is so chasing or hunting with the knowledge or consent of the owner. Whenever a dog has been found chasing, hunting, molesting, attacking or killing a deer and the owner or keeper of the dog has been so notified by the director, and the same dog is thereafter found so chasing, hunting, molesting, attacking or killing, it shall be prima facie evidence that such chasing, hunting, molesting, attacking or killing was with the knowledge or consent of the owner or keeper.