Massachusetts
Updates about legal issues facing animals in the state
The Animal Legal Defense Fund works at the federal, state and local levels to protect the lives and advance the interests of animals.
Animal Protection Laws Ranking
Each year, the Animal Legal Defense Fund publishes its U.S. State Animal Protection Laws Rankings Report. Each state is ranked based on 20 different categories of animal protection.
Massachusetts
Overall Rank: #4 (Top Tier)
Animal Protection Laws of Massachusetts
The Animal Protection Laws of Massachusetts compendium contains the general animal protection and related statutes for Massachusetts with an effective date on or before September 1, 2023.
Legislative Session
Take Action
Take action now to help animals in your state.
Massachusetts: Ask your legislators to protect animals this session!
Even though the Massachusetts legislative session ended on Wednesday, July 31, 2024, bills can still move until the end of the year. Act now!
Massachusetts: Ensure that dogs and their families can stay together
An Act to Protect Animals From Convicted Animal Abusers (H.1703/S.1076) would prohibit a person convicted of certain animal cruelty crimes — including torture, mutilation, and dogfighting — from possessing, adopting, or fostering an animal for at least five years.
Massachusetts: Ban Cat Declawing
Declawing is an invasive surgical procedure in which the last bone in each of a cat’s toes is amputated. An Act Prohibiting Inhumane Feline Declawing (S.190) would ban elective cat declawing in Massachusetts. Ask your legislators to support this bill today!
Massachusetts: Ask Your Legislators to Strengthen Animal Cruelty Laws
The Humane Protection of Animals Act (S.1142/H.1718) is a critical omnibus anti-cruelty bill that will strengthen and clarify Massachusetts’ animal cruelty laws.
Massachusetts: Help end animal testing for cosmetics and other products
Ask your legislators to support a bill that would require certain industries to consider alternative testing methods instead of animal testing of cosmetics, household products, and their ingredients.
Massachusetts: Keep Animals Away from Abusers
An Act to Protect Animals From Convicted Animal Abusers (H.1703/S.1076) would prohibit a person convicted of certain animal cruelty crimes — including torture, mutilation, and dogfighting — from possessing, adopting, or fostering an animal for at least five years.
Massachusetts: Help Protect Animals from Inhumane Circuses and Traveling Acts
An Act Relative to the Use of Elephants, Big Cats, Primates, Giraffes, and Bears in Traveling Exhibits and Shows (S.2197/S.2189/H.4915) would prohibit the use of certain animals in circuses and traveling shows in Massachusetts.
Massachusetts: Ask Your State Legislators to Help Protect Animals from Rat Poisons
An Act Relative to Pesticides (S.487/H.825) would reduce the use of rat poisons in Massachusetts.
Stop Ag-Gag Laws
Undercover investigations and whistleblowers have exposed some of the worst aspects of factory farming, but Ag-Gag laws punish people who speak out about cruelty in animal agriculture. Voice your opposition.
No More Puppy Mills
Puppy mill operators maximize their profits by producing large numbers of puppies as quickly as possible. As a result, unsanitary conditions, disease, and neglect are rampant. Sign our pledge to boycott puppy mills. Together we can end cruel puppy mills.
Passing Local Legislation: Retail Pet Sale Ban
In this free webinar, we walk you through the basics of how to pass a retail pet sale bans in your community — a powerful way to fight back against puppy mills.
Passing Local Legislation: Prohibiting Animals in Circuses and Traveling Shows
This webinar will focus on passing a local prohibition on animals used in circuses and other traveling shows.
Recent Victories
Coercive Control Bill (Massachusetts)
S. 2820
Massachusetts legislation would help victims of domestic violence, both human and animal, by updating the Commonwealth’s legal definition of abuse to include regarding “coercive control” to include committing or threatening to commit cruelty to the animal companion of a human abuse victim.
Protect Wildlife with Safe Crossings (Massachusetts)
Wildlife Crossings Project Provision of the Transportation Bond Bill (SEC 40 of H.5151)
Requires study of the feasibility of and creating an action plan for wildlife crossings projects in the Commonwealth
Protecting Animals Used in Circuses (Massachusetts)
An Act Relative to the Use of Elephants, Big Cats, Primates, and Bears in Traveling Exhibits and Shows (S.2197/S.2189/H.4915)
Prohibits the use of certain wild animals in circuses and traveling shows in Massachusetts.
Ordinance to Prohibit the Sale of Guinea Pigs in Pet Shops (Boston, Massachusetts)
Docket #0626
Would expand the city’s existing ban on the pet store sale of commercially bred dogs, cats, and rabbits to additionally include guinea pigs
Active Cases
No results found.
Active Legislation
An Act to Increase Kennel Safety (Massachusetts)
S. 1309/H. 4919
This law, also known as Ollie’s Law, requires the state to put into effect minimum standards for certain types of kennels such as daycares and boarding facilities.
An Act Prohibiting Inhumane Feline Declawing (Massachusetts)
S.2552
This bill would prohibit cat declawing except as a medical necessity to protect the cat’s health.
Mass Animal Fund (Massachusetts)
H. 3900 Amendment #139/S. 3 Amendments ENV #4 & #8
These amendments in the state budget bill for fiscal year 2024, will allocate $100,000 to critical companion animal health services.
Humane Protection of Animals Act (Massachusetts)
S.1142/H.1718
To strengthen and clarify Massachusetts’ animal cruelty laws
Protect Domestic Animals from Cruel Conditions with Civil Citations (Massachusetts)
S.1059/H.2102
Allows Massachusetts law enforcement officers to remediate situations involving animals kept in cruel conditions by issuing civil citations.
Promote Alternatives to Cosmetics and Product Testing on Animals (Massachusetts)
S.1424/H.850
Bill would require manufacturers and their contract testing facilities to use methods that replace animal testing of products and ingredients for cosmetics, household cleaners, and industrial chemicals.
Ensure That Dogs and Their Families Can Stay Together (Massachusetts)
An Act to Maintain Stable Housing for Families with Pets in an Economic Crisis and Beyond (S.876/H.1367)
Expands access to housing by prohibiting certain discriminatory policies for tenants, residents, homeowners, and renters based on their dog’s breed and by helping ensure families can be housed together with companion animals during a state of emergency
Protecting Animals from Rat Poisons (Massachusetts)
An Act Relative to Pesticides (S.487/H.825)
Would reduce the use of rat poisons in Massachusetts to protect wild animals as well as companion animals
Animal Legal Defense Fund 2023 State Animal Protection Laws Ranking Report
See the best and worst states for animal protection laws