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To report suspected animal cruelty anywhere in Massachusetts, please call (617) 522-6008 or (800) 628-5808, Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
When calling after hours, please leave a brief message including your name and the phone number (including area code) where you can be reached during normal business hours. MSPCA Law Enforcement Department voice mail is not monitored during weekends, nights, or holidays, and voice messages left will not be received until the next business day. In the event of an emergency after hours, local city/town police departments or animal control should be contacted.
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It is unlawful for an owner or custodian of an animal to fail to provide an animal with:
To subject, cause, or procure an animal:
To use animals as lure or bait in a cruel manner
For more information and links about animal cruelty laws in Massachusetts
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Some answers to common questions about Massachusetts animal laws and the MSPCA Law Enforcement Department.
Not necessarily. According to Massachusetts General Law Chapter 272, Section 77, the owner or keeper of an animal must provide it with proper shelter and protection from the weather. A dog or other animal may remain outdoors provided it is in compliance with Massachusetts General Law Chapter 140, Section 174E, in good health and weight (for its breed), has access to an appropriate shelter, and is not of an age or breed where temperatures could be potentially dangerous (very young or old animal).
Massachusetts General Law Chapter 140, Section 174E restricts how dogs may be kept chained/tethered and kept outside. It sets certain parameters and prevents a person from leaving a dog outside “when a weather advisory, warning or watch is issued by a local, state or federal authority or when outside environmental conditions including, but not limited to, extreme heat, cold, wind, rain, snow or hail pose an adverse risk to the health or safety of the dog based on the dog’s breed, age or physical condition, unless the tethering is not for more than 15 minutes.”
The MSPCA does, however, advise that even those domestic animals that are acclimated to the outdoors should be allowed access to the inside during frigid temperatures, whether or not a weather advisory exists.
No. The MSPCA Law Enforcement department accepts anonymous calls, and all calls are treated as confidential.
Whether as owner or custodian, any person who willfully abandons an animal is in violation of Massachusetts state cruelty laws.
It depends. The law can be more complicated than one might suspect or desire, and every determination depends on the facts and circumstances of a complaint. Anyone having a question of this nature is advised to call the MSPCA Law Enforcement department at (617)522-6008 or (800) 628-5808.
The Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR) licenses pet shops and various additional animal businesses in Massachusetts. Complaints about animal health at pet shops may be referred to MDAR. Concerns about other aspects of pet stores may be referred to the Office of Consumer Affairs Office and Business Regulation, the Attorney General, and/or MDAR. If a commission of animal cruelty is alleged in regard to a pet shop, the MSPCA Law Enforcement officers are authorized to inspect pet shops that offer animals, birds, fish or reptiles for sale or exhibit within the state of Massachusetts, and allegations may be referred to the MSPCA.
Individuals interested in applying for an MSPCA officer position should visit the Careers page on our website.
Vacancies are only occasional, and competition for those vacancies is usually intense between those who wish to be considered for a position as a law enforcement officer. Generally, candidates who possess a bachelor’s degree, preferably in the field of Animal Science or Criminal Justice are given preferential consideration. Also given serious consideration are candidates who have a significant level of prior experience working in the field of animal protection/welfare or law enforcement.
In addition, candidates must be able to successfully pass background investigations, a psychological evaluation, and must meet the requirements necessary to secure admission into and successfully complete a 22 week basic police recruit academy program sponsored by the Municipal Police Training Committee.
Note: This only a brief outline; it does not contain all information required, it does not represent a contract or offer, and it is subject to change without notice.
Why is the work of the MSPCA-Angell so crucial to promoting a just and compassionate society? It has long been believed by members of humane law enforcement that persons involved in animal abuse are often involved in committing other types of crimes as well. This observation was validated in a study done by Northeastern University and the MSPCA. In the study, a number of cruelty cases prosecuted by the MSPCA between 1975 and 1996 were reviewed.
Professors Arnold Arluke and Jack Levin of Northeastern University and Carter Luke of the MSPCA conducted the study, which was the first to examine the relationship between violence against animals and crime in the general population. Results indicate that 70 percent of those who committed crimes against animals had also been involved in other violent, property, drug, and disorderly crimes. The study also concluded that a person who has committed animal abuse is:
Read the Study
Since its formation in 1868, the MSPCA has been involved in the protection of animals. By the 1870s, when the first animal cruelty laws were enacted, the MSPCA had both paid and volunteer officers working across the state to investigate and prosecute animal cruelty allegations.
In the years to come, the MSPCA would establish a full-time Law Enforcement Department consisting of highly-trained and professional police officers. These officers attend a state-sponsored police academy, followed by 40 hours of annual in-service training and yearly firearms and first responder recertification. They are commissioned as special state police officers to investigate and enforce Massachusetts animal cruelty laws. Across the state these officers execute warrants, file felony charges, and testify in court – all at no cost to taxpayers.
Officers responding to cruelty complaints make every reasonable effort to educate offenders before filing for prosecution. Animals without proper shelter, in need of medical attention, not receiving proper nutrition, and animals abandoned when an owner moves away are only a small sample of the complaints that are investigated. Education is especially important for cases in which the letter of the law has not been broken, but neglect exists through failure to meet an animal’s social and physical needs. The law enforcement department works closely with MSPCA veterinarians and other personnel to provide necessary care to seized animals during sometimes lengthy court proceedings. Annually, the MSPCA Law Enforcement Department inspects many thousands
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As the third most densely populated state in the nation, Massachusetts is familiar with conflicts that occur when people and animals inhabit the same areas.
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