Act Promoting Pet Equity, Treatment and Safety (PETS Act) (Massachusetts)
S. 3028/H. 5589
The PETS Act would keep companion animals together with their families, prevent cruelty for animals in puppy mills and cosmetics testing laboratories, and redirect certain state resources to help animals.
Status
The Animal Legal Defense Fund supports this bill.
The Massachusetts legislature is considering An Act Promoting Pet Equity, Treatment and Safety (S. 3028/H. 5589), also known as the PETS Act, which is an omnibus bill that, among its provisions, aims to halt cruel and unnecessary animal cosmetics testing, promote keeping companion animals together with their families in public housing, and support spay/neuter and vaccination services for homeless dogs and cats and low-income families. This omnibus bill is a combination of several formerly standalone bills that represent nearly a decade of work by compassionate legislators and advocates.
Versions of the bill passed the Senate in March and the House in July 2026.
The bill has been referred to a conference committee that, under the rules this session, has until the end of the year to reconcile the language.
Both the House and Senate bills expand access to pet-inclusive and breed-neutral public housing; prohibit animal testing for cosmetics and household products when non-animal alternatives exist; facilitate intervention before animal suffering warrants a felony animal cruelty charge; creates record-keeping requirement for law facilitating adoption of dogs and cats after their term in research ends; directs certain fees and fines to the Mass. Animal Fund, which provides spay/neuter and vaccination services.
The Senate bill would also end the puppy-mill-to-pet-shop pipeline by prohibiting pet stores from selling dogs and cats for-profit, while allowing pet stores to partner with non-profit shelters to have animals available in-store for adoption; and prohibit dog-breed-based discrimination in homeowners insurance.
The House bill includes provisions to increase standardization relating to pet health insurance; establish a system for licensing veterinary technicians; allow certain registered drivers to be fined for refusing to accommodate people with service animals; and update kennel regulations.
Coalition Support: The Animal Legal Defense Fund is working in coalition with MSPCA-Angell, Animal Rescue League of Boston, and Humane World for Animals.
Original Sponsors: Senators Pavel Payano, Mark Montigny, Patrick O’Connor, and Jason Lewis and Representatives Brian Ashe, Sam Montaño, Dave Rogers, Tackey Chan, Ted Philips, Jack Patrick Lewis, Ryan Hamilton, and Dan Hunt.
For more information about animal protection legislation in Massachusetts and opportunities to take action for animals, visit aldf.org/massachusetts.
