Act S. 2672 addresses reports of animal abuse and neglect, and places reasonable restrictions on owning or accessing animals following an animal cruelty conviction.
Massachusetts law already prohibits abusers from working with, owning, or having contact with, animals after a conviction of animal sexual abuse.
However, the law currently does not prohibit ownership or contact after other kinds of animal cruelty convictions. This legal gap leads to increased recidivism rates and needless suffering for animals.
That's why we support the passage and adoption of S.2672.This legislation would establish that a person convicted of an animal cruelty crime - such as torture, mutilation, or dogfighting - may not harbor, own, possess, or exercise control over an animal or adopt or foster an animal for at least five years post-conviction.
In addition, this bill would:
- Allow citations to be issued when dogs are kept in cruel conditions;
- Enable additional funds to be directed to the Massachusetts Animal Fund for the purpose of spaying/neutering and vaccinating homeless dogs and cats or those who live with low-income families;
- Improve reporting of animal abuse by removing the time limitation to make such reports.
At least 39 states have post-conviction possession ban laws, 17 have mandatory possession ban laws, and 22 have permissive possession ban laws.
It's time to pass S.2672 to root out animal cruelty and abuse across Massachusetts - please sign to show your support today.
