Bill > S1460

This bill proposes several amendments to existing Massachusetts law regarding dog tethering and outdoor confinement, with the goal of improving animal welfare and enforcement of tethering regulations. The key provisions include: restricting dogs from being tethered outside and unattended for more than 5 hours or between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m., defining "outside and unattended" as exposure to elements for over 15 minutes without the owner's direct visual and physical presence, prohibiting tethering with pinch or choke collars, limiting the tether length to a specific distance per dog, and modifying shelter requirements to ensure dogs can enter and exit their shelter with protection from adverse weather. The bill also removes previous exceptions that allowed brief tethering periods and clarifies language around when and how dogs can be confined outdoors. These changes aim to prevent prolonged outdoor confinement and ensure more humane treatment of dogs by setting stricter standards for their outdoor containment and requiring more protective living conditions.

Budget and Finance, Government Affairs

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/S1460