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Mass. General Laws c.129

Livestock disease control

This page links to an unofficial version of each section of G.L. c. 129.

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§ 1 Definitions 
§ 2 Powers and duties of director; orders 
§ 3 Records of inspectors; forms 
§ 4 Certification of documents by clerk 
§ 5 Entry of orders, rules and regulations on records; publication 
§ 6 Aid to director and inspectors by sheriffs, constables and police officers 
§ 7 Entry on premises 
§ 8 Hospitals and quarantine stations 
§ 9 Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals; Animal Rescue League of Boston; agents; powers and duties 
§ 10 Examination of persons under oath; mandatory attendance and testimony of witnesses 
§ 11 Isolation or destruction of diseased animals; post mortem examination 
§ 13A Destruction of animals affected with scrapie; partial compensation 
§ 14 Destruction of animals affected with foot and mouth disease; disinfection or destruction of buildings 
§ 14A Quarantine or destruction of animals affected with vesicular stomatitis or vesicular exanthema 
§ 14B Feeding garbage to swine 
§ 14C Hog cholera; slaughtering of hogs; payment to owners 
§ 14D Hogs affected with brucellosis; quarantine and testing 
§ 14E Breeding, feeder or slaughter swine imported into commonwealth 
§ 15 Inspector of animals; appointment 
§ 16 Refusal or neglect of town to appoint inspector; appointment by director 
§ 17 Oath of inspectors; compensation; reimbursement of towns 
§ 18 Duties of inspectors; training; enforcement 
§ 19 Inspections of domestic animals 
§ 20 Certificate of healthy condition 
§ 21 Quarantine of diseased animals; notice or order; records 
§ 22 Service of notice or order of quarantine; return; evidence 
§ 22A Dogs owned by police departments or agencies 
§ 23 Examination of buildings; report 
§ 24 Notice of quarantine 
§ 25 Records of inspectors of animals; returns 
§ 26 Application of chapter to inspectors in Boston 
§ 26A Shipping cattle into commonwealth without inspection; certificate of health 
§ 26B Hatching eggs; baby chicks or live poultry; restriction on sale, transportation or importation 
§ 27 Seizure, quarantine and destruction of imported diseased animals 
§ 28 Notice of contagious disease to director 
§ 29 Expense of quarantine 
§ 30 Effect of quarantine; release; violation of quarantine; penalty 
§ 31 Damages; arbitration; petition for assessment of damages 
§ 31A Shipping or delivering tuberculin within commonwealth; statement as to use; application to common carriers 
§ 32 Use of tuberculin as diagnostic agent; tests 
§ 33 Compensation for animals reacting to tuberculin test; appraisals 
§ 33A Identification of reacting bovine animals; removal of tag; disposition of tagged animals 
§ 33B Declaration of quarantine areas; tuberculin tests of bovine animals; modified accredited areas; violation of terms of quarantine 
§ 33C Declaration of quarantine area; tests for brucellosis of bovine animals; modified certified brucellosis free area; violation of terms of quarantine 
§ 33D Tests for detection of brucellosis; identification of animals; destruction 
§ 34 Compensation to violators of regulations 
§ 35 Driving certain cattle on public ways or roads 
§ 36 Notice of contagious diseases 
§ 36B Vaccination of female calves; identification of positive reactors; transportation of unvaccinated bovine animals 
§ 36D Importation of vaccinated animals; conditions 
§ 36E Importation of unvaccinated female cattle over five months of age 
§ 36F Brucellosis, imported cattle, blood testing 
§ 36G Reimbursement of owners for slaughter of animals reacting positively to blood test for brucellosis; appraisal 
§ 36H Waiver of compliance with Secs. 36B, 36D to 36F 
§ 37 Enforcement actions; jurisdiction of commissioner of agriculture, district and superior courts 
§ 38 Annual report 
§ 39 Licensing of persons dealing in bovine and porcine animals; fee 
§ 39A Pet shops; licensing operation; animal health inspections 

Amended by St. 2024, c. 178, § 148, effective August 8, 2024

§ 39B Guard dog businesses; licenses 
§ 39C Hearing dog business; licenses 
§ 39D Hearing dog business; access to public facilities 
§ 39E Livestock auction business; licenses 
§ 39F Service dogs; trainer rights 
§ 39G Official health certificate requirement for dog or cat brought or shipped into commonwealth; purchase of animal for resale; vaccination record; devocalization prohibited 
§ 40 License plates for vehicles used for transportation of bovine or porcine animals; fee; revocation 
§ 40A Hog cholera vaccine; prohibited use 
§ 41 Bill of sale or memorandum signed by owner of persons transporting bovine animals; exhibition on demand 
§ 42 Tagging bovine animal with identification tag 
§ 43 Penalties for violation of Secs. 39 to 42 
§ 44 Testing of imported equine animals for infectious anemia; certification 
§ 44A Destruction or quarantine of infected equine animals 
§ 45 License to deal in or auction equine animals 
§ 46 License plates for vehicles transporting equine animals 
§ 47 Bill of sale or memorandum 
§ 48 Violations, penalties 

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