Shown verbatim: the complete text as captured from the official source posted by the Massachusetts General Court, fetched 2026-07-15. Nothing is edited or removed. The official bill page.
Chapter 129 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 39A the following section: Section 39A½. A pet shop operator shall not sell a live dog, cat or rabbit in a pet shop unless the dog, cat or rabbit was obtained from a publicly owned animal pound, public animal control agency or shelter, society for the prevention of cruelty to animals shelter, humane society shelter or rescue group that is in a cooperative agreement with at least 1 private or public shelter.Each pet shop shall maintain records sufficient to document the source of each dog, cat or rabbit that the pet shop sells or provides space for, for at least 1 year. Each pet shop shall post, in a conspicuous location on the cage or enclosure of each animal, a sign listing the name of the publicly owned animal pound, public animal control agency or shelter, society for the prevention of cruelty to animals shelter, humane society shelter, or rescue group from which each dog, cat or rabbit was obtained. Publicly owned animal pound and public animal control agencies or shelters may periodically require pet shops engaged in the sale of dogs, cats or rabbits to provide access to said records. A pet shop operator who violates this section shall be subject to a civil penalty of $500. Each animal offered for sale in violation of this section shall constitute a separate violation.
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