Pocket Guide: Animal Protection Laws and Resources

This publication is a booklet for Massachusetts police and animal control officers who enforce laws relating to animals. The easy-to-carry booklet (3′ x 5′) includes the most commonly used laws relating to animals. It also provides information on animal-related resources. (Due to the condensed nature, there may be additional statutes and case law not included yet important to your work.)

This booklet was printed in October 2019. To view an updated online version, you can read it here as a Google document. We plan to re-print this as a booklet at the end of the current legislative session in 2026.

For questions, comments, or copies, please email lawenforcement@mspca.org.

If you have the booklet, you may wish to take note of the statutes passed, and case law decided, since 2019 noted in the chart below (these are included in online version at the link above).

Updates to 2019 booklet:

Change	Chapter	Section	Explanation
Amended	209A	1	Definition of “abuse” expanded to incorporate “coercive control” which includes threatening, attempting to, or committing abuse to an animal connected to the family or household member
New	131	19C	Restrictions on the Use of Certain Animals in Traveling Wild Animal Acts
New	140	174H	Prohibition and Regulation of Declawing Procedures for Cats
New	140	141C	Prohibition on the Sale or Transfer of Dogs or Cats Under Eight Weeks of Age
New	140	141D	Prohibition on the Sale or Transfer of Dogs or Cats in Certain Public Areas
New	119	26D	Restriction on breed-based determinations by DCF in foster and adoptive homes
Amended	119	85	Department of Children & Families (DCF) improvements on reporting of animal cruelty, abuse or neglect
Amended	19A	42A	Dept. of Elder Affairs improvements on reporting of animal cruelty, abuse or neglect
Amended	19C	14	Disabled Person Protection Commission improvements on reporting of animal cruelty, abuse or neglect
New	140	174G	Ollie’s Law – Comprehensive Regulation of Commercial Boarding and Training Kennels
Amended	140	136A	Animal control – definition updates/Ollie’s Law
Amended	140	137A	Animal control – kennel licensing improvements/Ollie’s Law
Amended	140	137C	Animal control – kennel regulation & enforcement/Ollie’s Law
Amended	140	137D	Dog licensing after conviction or penalization for certain animal crimes
Recent Case Law			Commonwealth v. Russo, 494 Mass. 396 (2024) – cruelty statute interpreted
Recent Case Law			Commonwealth v. Adams, SJC-13638 (2025) – bona fide discipline/jury instructions