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| 2 | 2 | | HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 959 FILED ON: 1/14/2025 |
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| 3 | 3 | | HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 943 |
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| 4 | 4 | | The Commonwealth of Massachusetts |
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| 5 | 5 | | _________________ |
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| 6 | 6 | | PRESENTED BY: |
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| 7 | 7 | | William C. Galvin |
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| 8 | 8 | | _________________ |
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| 9 | 9 | | To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General |
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| 10 | 10 | | Court assembled: |
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| 11 | 11 | | The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill: |
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| 12 | 12 | | An Act relative to dogs brought into the Commonwealth by animal rescue organizations. |
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| 13 | 13 | | _______________ |
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| 14 | 14 | | PETITION OF: |
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| 15 | 15 | | NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:William C. Galvin6th Norfolk1/14/2025 1 of 2 |
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| 16 | 16 | | HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 959 FILED ON: 1/14/2025 |
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| 17 | 17 | | HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 943 |
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| 18 | 18 | | By Representative Galvin of Canton, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 943) of |
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| 19 | 19 | | William C. Galvin relative to dogs brought into the Commonwealth by animal rescue |
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| 20 | 20 | | organizations. Environment and Natural Resources. |
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| 21 | 21 | | [SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION |
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| 22 | 22 | | SEE HOUSE, NO. 801 OF 2023-2024.] |
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| 23 | 23 | | The Commonwealth of Massachusetts |
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| 24 | 24 | | _______________ |
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| 25 | 25 | | In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court |
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| 26 | 26 | | (2025-2026) |
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| 27 | 27 | | _______________ |
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| 28 | 28 | | An Act relative to dogs brought into the Commonwealth by animal rescue organizations. |
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| 29 | 29 | | Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority |
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| 30 | 30 | | of the same, as follows: |
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| 31 | 31 | | 1 Chapter 129 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 39A the |
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| 32 | 32 | | 2following section:- |
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| 33 | 33 | | 3 Section 39B. (a) As used in this section the following terms shall, unless the context |
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| 34 | 34 | | 4clearly requires otherwise, have the following meanings: |
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| 35 | 35 | | 5 “Animal rescue organization”, an entity that is not otherwise required to be licensed |
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| 36 | 36 | | 6pursuant to sections 39, 39A or 45, or section 152A of chapter 94, and whose primary activity is |
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| 37 | 37 | | 7the placement of abandoned, displaced, unwanted, neglected or abused domestic animals, |
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| 38 | 38 | | 8including dogs; provided, that an animal rescue organization shall not obtain dogs from a breeder |
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| 39 | 39 | | 9or broker for payment or compensation; and provided, further that an animal rescue organization 2 of 2 |
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| 40 | 40 | | 10shall be exempt from taxation under section 501(c)(3) of the federal Internal Revenue Code or |
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| 41 | 41 | | 11equivalent nonprofit designation under said Code. |
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| 42 | 42 | | 12 “Dog”, a mammal of the species Canis familiaris |
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| 43 | 43 | | 13 “Quarantine”, the confinement of a dog, for the purposes of: (1) observing if the dog |
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| 44 | 44 | | 14displays signs of contagious or infectious illness and (2) minimizing the risk of the dog spreading |
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| 45 | 45 | | 15such contagious or infectious illness to humans and other animals. |
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| 46 | 46 | | 16 (b) A dog brought into the commonwealth by an animal rescue organization from another |
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| 47 | 47 | | 17state for the purpose of permanent physical placement shall quarantine for not less than 48 hours |
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| 48 | 48 | | 18upon entry to the commonwealth. The quarantine may occur in the: (1) residence of the |
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| 49 | 49 | | 19permanent or temporary placement of the dog or (2) in a quarantine facility licensed by the |
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| 50 | 50 | | 20director. After quarantine, a veterinarian shall examine the dog and issue a certificate of health if |
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| 51 | 51 | | 21the dog does not display signs of contagious or infectious illness. |
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| 52 | 52 | | 22 This subsection shall not apply to the voluntary, permanent surrender of a dog to an |
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| 53 | 53 | | 23animal rescue organization in the commonwealth by an individual owner if the owner resides in |
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| 54 | 54 | | 24Connecticut, Maine, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island or Vermont and the owner |
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| 55 | 55 | | 25provides transportation of the dog into the commonwealth. |
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| 56 | 56 | | 26 (c) Any dog brought into the commonwealth shall be vaccinated for rabies, distemper, |
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| 57 | 57 | | 27parvovirus and leptospirosis. The director may require additional vaccination before a dog is |
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| 58 | 58 | | 28brought into the commonwealth. |
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| 59 | 59 | | 29 (d) The director shall promulgate regulations to implement this section. |
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