SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2757
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)
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SENATE, May 2, 2024.
The committee on The Judiciary, to whom was referred the petitions (accompanied by
bill, Senate, No. 1142) of John C. Velis, Patrick M. O'Connor, Jack Patrick Lewis, Steven
George Xiarhos and other members of the General Court for legislation relative to the humane
protection of animals; and (accompanied by bill, House, No. 1718) of Edward R. Philips, Jessica
Ann Giannino and others for legislation relative to the humane protection of animals and
establishing a task force to complete a systematic review of the laws pertaining to animal cruelty
and protection, report the accompanying bill (Senate, No. 2757).
For the committee,
James B. Eldridge 1 of 2
FILED ON: 4/30/2024
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2757
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_______________
In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)
_______________
An Act relative to the humane protection of animals.
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 140 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after
2section 141B the following 2 sections:-
3 Section 141C. (a) No person shall sell, exchange, trade, barter, lease or transfer for
4permanent physical placement possession a dog or cat that is under 8 weeks of age; provided,
5however, that this prohibition is not applicable to the transfer of dogs or cats between any shelter,
6municipal animal control facility or animal rescue organization licensed under section 39A or
7chapter 129. A violation of this subsection shall be punished by a fine of not more than $100.
8Each dog or cat sold, exchanged, traded, bartered or leased in violation of this section shall
9constitute a separate offense.
10 Section 141D. (a) No person shall sell, offer to sell, exchange, trade, barter, lease or
11transfer any dog or cat on any roadside, public right-of-way, parkway, median, park or other
12recreation area, flea market or other outdoor market, or commercial or retail parking lot. 2 of 2
13 (b) This section shall not apply to: (1) the transfer, regardless of payment or
14compensation, of a dog or cat by, or to, a shelter, municipal animal control facility or animal
15rescue organization licensed under section 39A of chapter 129; or (2) the display of a dog or cat
16as part of a state or county fair exhibition, a 4-H program or similar exhibition or educational
17program.
18 (c) A violation of this section shall be punished by a fine of not more than $50 for a first
19offense, a fine of not more than $100 for a second offense and a fine of not more than $300 for a
20third or subsequent offense. Each dog or cat sold, traded, bartered or leased in violation of this
21section shall constitute a separate offense.
22 (d) A city or town shall enforce this section through its animal control officers or police
23officers in a manner consistent with the disposition provisions in section 21D of chapter 40.