The legislative work of the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals builds upon our mission “to protect animals, relieve their suffering, advance their health and welfare, prevent cruelty, and work for a just and compassionate society.” The following bills help to fulfill that mission.
Legislators: We hope you will co-sponsor the following legislation. Please feel free to contact us at advocacy@mspca.org or reach out to one of the sponsors’ offices for more information.
Constituents: Please contact your State Senator and your State Representative and ask them to co-sponsor important animal bills!
PLEASE CO-SPONSOR:
SD 1250/HD 2497: Ollie’s Law
Massachusetts currently has no state oversight of doggie daycare or boarding kennels. This legislation would require reasonable rules and regulations of these facilities, such as specifications on staff to dog ratios, group sizes and supervision, minimum housing and care requirements, indoor and outdoor physical facility requirements, dog handling, and insurance. Many families in Massachusetts have suffered the loss or injury of a companion animal at a doggie daycare or kennel—tragedies that could be avoided by commonsense oversight of these facilities.
- Sponsor(s): Senator Mark Montigny and Representative Brian Ashe
- Status: Filed
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SD 1443/SD 1533/HD 3142: An Act relative to the use of elephants, big cats, primates, giraffes, and bears in traveling exhibits and shows
These bills prohibit the use of elephants, big cats, primates, giraffes, and bears in traveling shows in Massachusetts. These shows—using dangerous animals—are not only detrimental to animal welfare, but also present a public safety risk. These traveling shows subject highly intelligent, social animals to coercive and abusive treatment and a life on the road where they are deprived of exercise, and the ability to express their most basic, natural behaviors.
- Sponsor(s): Senators Bruce Tarr and Adam Gomez; Representatives Carole Fiola and Bradley Jones
- Status: Filed
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SD 1318/HD 2505: An Act to maintain stable housing for families with pets in an economic crisis and beyond
This legislation ensures that certain types of housing agreements (such as condo bylaws, some leases, etc.), as well as public housing authorities, cannot discriminate against, or include language that limits, a tenant or resident’s ability to live in that type of housing based on the size, weight, or perceived breed of a dog owned by a tenant/resident. It also prevents insurance companies from discriminating based on dog breed.
- Sponsor(s): Senator Anne Gobi; Representatives Dave Rogers and Samantha Montaño.
- Status: Filed
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SD 1393/HD 1228: An Act banning the retail sale of cats and dogs in pet shops
This legislation would prohibit the sale of puppies, kittens, and rabbits in pet shops unless the animals are from shelters or rescue organizations. Typically, pet shops instead obtain animals from substandard breeding facilities, which results in consumers unknowingly purchasing sick or genetically-compromised pets. Massachusetts state records consistently document such complaints from across the Commonwealth. State and federal records have also demonstrated that puppies from the worst “puppy mills” in the country have been sold to Massachusetts consumers via pet shops. These bills thus protect both animals and consumers, while having no impact on responsible breeders.
- Sponsor(s): Senator Patrick O’Connor and Representative Natalie Higgins
- Status: Filed
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SD 2181/HD 2216: An Act concerning humane cosmetics and household products by limiting the use of animal testing
These bills require the use of non-animal test methods when available. Alternatives provide information of equivalent or superior quality and relevance to humans in comparison to animal tests. This bill applies to products such as cosmetics, household cleaners, and industrial chemicals, like those in paint; it does not apply to testing done for medical research, including testing of drugs or medical devices.
- Sponsor(s): Senator Mark Montigny and Representative Jack Patrick Lewis
- Status: Filed
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SD 381/HD 2213: An Act relative to animal welfare and DCF regulations
This bill will prevent the Department of Children and Families from using breed as a factor to determine whether a family can adopt or foster children. It also will remove timing restrictions in the statutes that allow employees and contractors of human services agencies to report suspected animal cruelty. Currently, the timeframe for this reporting has been interpreted to apply only to the 10-day investigation period. This bill will ensure that suspected animal cruelty can be reported at any time the employee or contractor suspects it.
- Sponsor(s): Senator Adam Gomez and Representative Jack Patrick Lewis
- Status: Filed
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SD 2295/HD 3285: An Act relative to the humane protection of animals
This legislation contains a collection of measures which work to strengthen and finesse our animal cruelty laws. This omnibus legislation will give law enforcement, animal control officers, judges, and district attorneys more options when it comes to addressing animal situations before they become life threatening, and then provide pre- and post-conviction options during trial and sentencing.
- Sponsor(s): Senator John Velis; Representatives Ted Philips and Jessica Giannino
- Status: Filed
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SD 2139/HD 2139: An Act enhancing the issuance of citations for cruel conditions for animals
These bills expand upon current law, found in Ch. 140 sec. 174E, that allows citations to be issued when dogs are kept in cruel conditions. This legislation extends this protection to all domestic animals and also updates language to ensure that dogs left outside and unattended are protected. Broadening the current statute’s scope in this way allows an effective response to problematic situations involving animals and prevents them from escalating. Note that SD 1729: An Act relative to improving enforcement for tethering violations contains the sections of this bill relating to dogs kept outside and unattended.
- Sponsor(s): Senator Mark Montigny and Representative Angelo Puppolo
- Status: Filed
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SD 1888/HD 640: An Act relative to the ownership of pets by convicted animal abusers
These bills would prohibit a person who is convicted of animal cruelty from owning or possessing an animal for a period of time determined by the court. It also would enable additional monies to be directed to the Mass Animal Fund for the purpose of spaying, neutering or vaccinating homeless dogs and cats or those that live with low-income families.
- Sponsor(s): Senator Mike Moore; Representatives Tram Nguyen and Vanna Howard
- Status: Filed
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SD 1144/HD 577: An Act relative to pesticides
This bill requires digitization of pesticide use forms for better monitoring of the use of Second Generation Anticoagulant Rodenticides (SGARs), and requires the increased use of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategies in Massachusetts.
- Sponsor(s): Senator Paul Feeney and Representative Jim Hawkins
- Status: Filed
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