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The following was submitted by the Office of Sen. Jason Lewis:
State Sen. Jason Lewis joined colleagues in the Massachusetts Senate to pass the PETS Act, animal welfare legislation to end the inhumane puppy-mill-to-pet-shop pipeline, strengthen animal cruelty protections, and make responsible pet ownership possible for more residents.
To prevent malicious puppy mills — large-scale breeding facilities known for prioritizing profits over animal health and well-being — from shipping pets to Massachusetts, the PETS Act includes legislation originally filed by Lewis to end commercial sales of cats and dogs in pet stores.
Instead, pet stores could display animals from animal shelters for adoption or residents could adopt directly from animal shelters or visit responsible pet breeders.
“It breaks my heart to see inhumane puppy mills abusing dogs to mass-produce puppies to ship across the country when there are so many wonderful and lonely pets waiting to be adopted,” said Lewis. “We have proudly adopted our cats from the MSPCA, including our now 15-year-old cat Mookie, and have long advocated for people to reach out to their local shelters and adoption centers when considering getting a pet.”
To promote animal welfare, the PETS Act prohibits manufacturers from subjecting animals to unnecessary chemical testing for non-medical research, sparing innocent animals from harsh conditions.
The bill also extends a state law which protects dogs from cruelty to cover all household pets, ensuring adequate food, water, and sanitary conditions, and it protects livestock and other animals by adding civil penalties to enforce existing anti-cruelty statutes.
In addition, to make responsible pet ownership possible for more residents, the PETS Act requires the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities to create a uniform pet ownership program for residents of state-aided public housing.
Public housing facilities would be prohibited from discriminating based on a pet’s breed or size.
The bill also prohibits homeowner insurance companies from factoring a dog’s breed into underwriting, rating, or renewal decisions.
After passing with bipartisan support in the Senate, the bill was sent to the House of Representatives for further consideration.
