New Legal guidelines and Daring Advocacy Maintain Massachusetts on the Forefront of Animal Safety
Massachusetts was not too long ago named the #2 state for animal welfare by the Animal Authorized Protection Fund. Massachusetts has been within the prime tier for animal safety legal guidelines for over 10 years. With one of many oldest animal cruelty statutes within the nation, Massachusetts has constantly been a pacesetter on animal welfare points. 2025 was full of progress for animals in Massachusetts with the implementation of a number of legal guidelines handed within the 2023-2024 session and work on the 2025-2026 agenda. In January the ban on unique animals in touring acts went into impact, whereas in April the ban on cat declawing and bans on the sale of puppies and kittens underneath 8 weeks and roadside gross sales went into impact. ARL has continued working to guard canine in boarding and daycare kennels, being concerned within the Ollie’s Legislation Advisory Committee conferences to debate upcoming rules.
Map of the U.S. displaying 2025 animal safety regulation rankings by state. Oregon ranks finest with Massachusetts in second. Credit score: Animal Authorized Protection Fund
The 2025-2026 session began in January and ARL has been advocating for our most bold legislative agenda ever by offering data to advocates, testifying at hearings, and assembly with stakeholders. Because of this work of our coalition companions and advocates, a big portion of ARL’s legislative priorities have seen progress within the legislature. In 2026, the legislature will proceed to think about these payments.
Housing
Housing has been a problem for individuals and pets for years, notably for canine of sure breeds and look. This session, ARL priorities concerning pets in housing had been capable of advance from committee. S.1022/H.1559, An Act to keep up steady housing for households with pets, filed by Senator Payano and Representatives Montaño and Rogers would improve pet pleasant housing choices by stopping insurance coverage corporations and sure landlords from with the ability to discriminate on the premise of canine breed, measurement, weight, or look. Regardless of assumptions by some, canine breed has no reference to propensity to chunk, and identification of canine breed is tough for even educated animal welfare professionals. These payments additionally present protections from eviction throughout states of emergency in addition to put a cap on pet hire.
Animal Safety
Massachusetts is the one state that doesn’t have a misdemeanor animal cruelty regulation. One of many strongest within the nation, it displays an understanding of the hyperlink between cruelty towards animals and cruelty towards individuals. Nonetheless, it isn’t applicable in all circumstances. This session various payments to supply extra, non-criminal, choices had been filed, together with S.1190, An Act enhancing the issuance of citations for merciless situations for animals, filed by Senator Mark Montigny and H.4675, An Act stopping animal cruelty, filed by Consultant Ted Philips. S. 1190 would add home animals to protections from merciless situations presently afforded to canine solely. H.4675 would set up a civil course of to make sure uncared for animals are cared for and supply a mechanism to order care of or take possession of an animal in peril, with out involving felony prices. ARL strives to supply providers to individuals in want, and creating non-criminal choices may also help intervene to guard animals with out the specter of a felony conviction.
Pet Outlets
For the primary time in Massachusetts, a invoice to full ban the retail sale of canine, cats, and rabbits was superior from committee favorably. S.2720, An Act banning the sale of canine, cats, and rabbits in pet outlets, filed by Senator O’Connor has been filed various classes. Whereas Massachusetts has restricted pet shops in comparison with different states, the danger to animals and shoppers remains to be prevalent. One other concern is the migration of pet shops from different states, like New York, the place the retail sale of such animals was banned in December 2024. This laws would nonetheless enable pet shops to accomplice with shelters and rescues to supply animals to the general public, however would cease the pet mill pipeline that helps fund proceed poor animal welfare situations by out-of-state business breeders on the expense of animal and human well being.
Along with these priorities, ARL has additionally seen progress on payments regarding animal testing, pets in custody and separation proceedings, regulation of canine breeders, bettering the harmful canine regulation, and offering extra funding for spay and neuter for at-need canine and cats.
These are solely a few of the priorities which are being thought-about this session. Study extra about ARL’s Legislative Agenda.
Advancing animal welfare priorities isn’t any assure, however is the product of years of fixed work on these points. Massachusetts stays a pacesetter in animal welfare because of the outreach of advocates to their legislators. By way of telephone calls, emails, and conferences, even 5 minutes could make a distinction.
Advocating for animals can take many types. To study methods you will get concerned in advancing ARL’s Legislative Agenda, electronic mail advocacy@arlboston.org
