District Attorney Morrissey is committed to the rigorous enforcement of laws prohibiting cruelty to animals and assigns specially-trained prosecutors to handle allegations of cruelty to animals.

Cruelty to animals has always been a serious matter in Massachusetts – in 1641 the Massachusetts Bay Colony adopted a law prohibiting "any Tyranny or Cruelty towards any Bruit Creatures which are usually kept for the use of Man."  In 1836, the Massachusetts Legislature enacted a law providing for up to one year incarceration for cruelly beating or torturing any animal.  In 2004, the Massachusetts Legislature made animal cruelty a felony, and in 2014, the Massachusetts Legislature made a conviction for animal cruelty punishable by up to seven years in state prison for a first offense.   

Several laws address crimes against animals.  General Laws chapter 272, section 77 is most often used to prosecute allegations of animal cruelty.  Other laws also address crimes against animals.  For example,
G.L. c. 266, § 112 (Domestic animals, malicious killing or injuring) makes it unlawful to willfully and maliciously kill, maim, disfigure or poison any horse, cattle, or other animal of another person. 
Violation of this statute is also punishable by imprisonment for up to seven years.

Report Animal Cruelty! 

If you are aware of animal cruelty in your community, please report it to your local police department.