The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Peter J. Koutoujian, Katherine Clark

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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
                Court assembled:

                The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the passage of the accompanying bill:

An Act to Include Animals in Abuse Prevention Orders.

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PETITION OF:

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the Year Two Thousand and Nine

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An Act to Include Animals in Abuse Prevention Orders.

                Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:

SECTION 1. Section 3 of Chapter 209A of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2006 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after the word “minor” in line 6 the following words:- 

; ordering the possession, care and control of any animal owned, possessed, leased, kept, or held by either party or a minor child residing in the household to the plaintiff.  The court may order the defendant to refrain from abusing, threatening, taking, interfering with, transferring, encumbering, concealing, harming, or otherwise disposing of the animal;