1 of 1
SENATE DOCKET, NO. 325 FILED ON: 1/13/2023
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1126
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_________________
PRESENTED BY:
Bruce E. Tarr
_________________
To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:
The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
An Act promoting pet safety aka Crawford's Law.
_______________
PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :Bruce E. TarrFirst Essex and MiddlesexVanna Howard17th Middlesex2/2/2023 1 of 2
SENATE DOCKET, NO. 325 FILED ON: 1/13/2023
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1126
By Mr. Tarr, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 1126) of Bruce E. Tarr and Vanna
Howard for legislation to promote pet safety aka Crawford's Law. The Judiciary.
[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE SENATE, NO. 1131 OF 2021-2022.]
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_______________
In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)
_______________
An Act promoting pet safety aka Crawford's Law.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
1 SECTION 1. Chapter 272 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2018 Official Edition
2is hereby amended by inserting after section 77C the following section 77D:-
3 (a) A person who by willful, wanton, reckless, or negligent act causes the unnecessary or
4unjustified death of a cat or dog shall be liable in damages for the fair monetary value of the
5deceased animal to the owner of the animal, including, but not limited to, damages for the loss of
6comfort, protection, companionship, other special damages, services of the deceased animal to its
7owner; reasonable afterlife expenses of the deceased animal; court costs and attorney's fees; and
8other reasonable damages resulting from the willful, wanton, reckless, or negligent act. Non-
9economic damages shall have a cap value of $30,000.00 2 of 2
10 (b) Damages under this section for unnecessary or unjustified death sustained by an
11animal shall be recovered in an action of tort by the aggrieved, commenced within three years
12from the date, of death or from the date when the aggrieved knew, or in the exercise of
13reasonable diligence, should have known, of the factual basis for a claim of relief