- Keep families with pets together during the COVID-19 pandemic by restricting pet-based evictions and prohibiting insurance companies from discriminating based on dog breed (SD 1248/HD 2778; Senator Gobi and Rep. D. Rogers).
- Extend the ability for civil citations to be issued for cruel conditions (currently limited to dogs) to all domestic animals (SD 1645/HD 2247; Senator Montigny and Rep. Puppolo).
- Prohibit the sale of puppies and kittens under 8 weeks, require regulations of certain kennels, prohibit the roadside sale of animals, and excluding dogs and cats from the definition of livestock (SD 1471/HD 3979; Senator Chandler and Rep. Campbell).
- End dangerous wild animals from performing in circuses and traveling shows (SD 1246/HD 2035; Senators Tarr and Gomez; Reps. Ehrlich and Jones).
- Prevent a person convicted of animal cruelty (including torture, mutilation, and dogfighting) from possessing, adopting, or fostering an animal for at least five years after their release from custody (SD 796/HD 2845/HD 2857; Senator Moore and Reps. Nguyen and Hill).
- Upgrade the current law to enact higher standards for egg-laying hens (S. 36/HD 596; Senator Lewis and Rep. Cahill).
- Modernize penalties for poaching—some of Massachusetts’ poaching penalties haven’t been updated in nearly a century—and enter Massachusetts into an interstate law enforcement network, ending our status as a poachers’ paradise (SD 551/HD 1458; Senator Moore and Reps. Ehrlich and Ferrante).
- Phase out the sale of new fur products with exemptions for used or vintage fur and fur used for religious, tribal, or cultural purposes (SD 1029/HD 1592; Senator Velis and Rep. Lewis).
The full list of bills the MSPCA supports and opposes can be found at www.mspca.org/currentlegislation.
The MSPCA Advocacy team encourages anyone who would like to be kept up to date on animal related legislation to join its Animal Action Team by signing up at www.mspca.org/JoinTheTeam.
Visit www.statehousepets.com to see the animals who live with legislators and their staff
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