Statutes
Statute by category |
Citation | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| Ley de Protección a los Animales de la Ciudad de México | Ley de Protección Animal | This law seeks to protect animals, ensure their welfare, and provide attention, good treatment, maintenance, lodging, natural development, and health. Furthermore, it aims to avoid mistreatment, cruelty, suffering, bestiality, and deformation of their physical characteristics, as well as to ensure animal health, public health, and the five freedoms of the animal. |
| Ley de Protección Animal del Estado de Querétaro | Ley de Protección Animal del Estado de Querétaro | This law seeks to guarantee dignified and respectful treatment for all animal species. As stated in Article 1, its primary objectives include: 1) the regulation of the possession, procreation, development, use, transportation, and slaughter of species, populations, and animal specimens in the state; 2) to implement compliance with the state's environmental policy regarding wildlife and biotic resources; and 3) to promote a culture of protection and respect for nature. |
| Ley de Protección para la Fauna en el Estado de Chiapas | Ley de Protección para la Fauna en el Estado de Chiapas | The Wildlife Protection Law in the State of Chiapas primarily emphasizes the protection and responsible use of "fauna" to ensure the welfare of both wild and domestic animals. Noteworthy provisions of this law include the prohibition of circuses, animal fighting, and the use of animals for teaching purposes and experiments at all educational levels throughout the state, except for higher education levels when such practices are necessary for their educational objectives. This law also defines "animal cruelty" as suffering, torture, or mistreatment. |
| Ley de Protección y Bienestar Animal de Tlaxcala | Ley de Protección y Bienestar Animal de Tlaxcala | This law seeks to promote animal welfare by providing proper care, suitable living conditions, fostering their natural development, and maintaining their health. It also seeks to protect their natural behavior, guaranteeing public health. Article 3, IV defines animal as a “Multicellular living being with a developed nervous system, which feels and moves voluntarily or by instinct.” It includes various definitions, but it does not define animal cruelty. |
| Ley de Protección y Bienestar Animal de Tlaxcala-Mexico | Ley de Protección y Bienestar Animal de Tlaxcala-Mexico | This law seeks to promote animal welfare by providing proper care, suitable living conditions, fostering their natural development, and maintaining their health. It also seeks to protect their natural behavior, guaranteeing public health. Article 3, IV defines animal as a “multicellular living being with a developed nervous system, which feels and moves voluntarily or by instinct.” It includes various definitions, but it does not define animal cruelty. |
| Ley Federal Apícola de Mexico | Ley Federal Apícola de Mexico, OFICIO No.: D.G.P.L. 64-Il-6-2694. EXPEDIENTE No. 6197. | It serves as a comprehensive framework for treating and protecting bees, encompassing all activities related to this vital species, explicitly designating apiculture (or beekeeping) as a prioritized activity of public interest. The objectives of this law extend beyond the aforementioned points: 1) Recognizing Bees as Priority Species: The law aims to acknowledge bees as a species of paramount importance in biodiversity preservation, highlighting the need for their protection; 2) Promoting Education and Awareness: An essential aspect of this legislation is promoting education and awareness regarding the importance of respecting, caring for, protecting, conserving, and fostering a deep appreciation for bees; 3) Equal Status with Livestock: The law seeks to elevate their status to the same level as cattle. Consequently, stealing bees would be considered a rustling crime under the Federal Penal Code; and 4) Recognizing Honey's Nutritional Value: The law also aims to establish honey as a perfect food, recognizing its exceptional nutritional properties. It advocates for honey to be considered an essential component of a balanced diet to safeguard the health of society. Furthermore, this law contains provisions to enhance the regulation and support of apiculture, including the rights and obligations of beekeepers; it creates the National Council of the Beekeeping Product System, outlines the responsibilities and attributions of relevant authorities, and sets forth specific standards, reporting procedures, and licensing requirements for various aspects of beekeeping, including the establishment of apiaries, the movement of hives or their products, and other relevant activities. |
| Ley Federal de Responsabilidad Ambiental | Ley Federal de Responsabilidad Ambiental | This law governs environmental responsibility arising from environmental harm and addresses the legal damages and consequences resulting from such harm. It recognizes damages caused to the environment regardless of the damages caused to the owner of the land and the natural resources. |
| Ley General de Pesca y Acuacultura Sustentables | Ley General de Pesca y Acuacultura Sustentables | This law aims to regulate, encourage, and manage the use of fishing and aquaculture resources in the national territory and the areas over which the nation exercises its sovereignty and jurisdiction. |
| Ley N° 371 de 2023 | Law 371, 2023 | Ley 371, enacted in March 2023, is the law by which Panama promotes the conservation and protection of Sea Turtles and their habitat. Relying on Law 287, 2022 (which recognized Nature as a subject of Rights), this law recognizes sea turtles are subjects of rights in Panama. More specifically, Article 29, "Protection of the Rights of Turtles and their Habitat," establishes that sea turtles have "the right to live and have free passage in a healthy environment, free of pollution and other anthropocentric impacts that cause physical damage and damage to their health, such as climate change, contamination incidental capture, coastal development, and unregulated tourism, among others." |
| LEY Nº 27596, 2001- Peru | Law 27596 establishes regulations regarding the breeding, training, commercialization, possession, and transfer of potentially dangerous dogs for the purpose of protecting people's integrity, health, and tranquility. The law prohibits encouraging any form of canine aggression and makes special reference to dog fighting. In general, owners of potentially dangerous dogs must be competent and physically capable of caring for the dog, including providing them with appropriate training. In the event of a stray, the dog must be taken in by the municipality whose jurisdiction it is within and reinserted into the community through animal care programs, so long as it is not deemed aggressive. The law also describes the procedure for how to handle a dog that attacks another living being or kills an animal, and the corresponding consequences of such events. Lastly, the law states regulations for handling dogs with grave diseases that could be transmitted to human beings. | |
| LEY Nº 27596, 2001- Peru | La Ley 27596 regula la crianza, adiestramiento, comercialización, tenencia y traslado de perros potencialmente peligrosos, con el fin de proteger la integridad, salud y tranquilidad de las personas. La ley prohíbe fomentar cualquier forma de agresión canina y hace especial referencia a las peleas de perros. En general, los propietarios de perros potencialmente peligrosos deben ser competentes y estar físicamente capacitados para cuidar del perro, lo que incluye proporcionarles un adiestramiento adecuado. En caso de perro callejero, el perro debe ser acogido por el municipio en cuya jurisdicción se encuentre y reinsertado en la comunidad mediante programas de atención a los animales, siempre que no se considere agresivo. La ley también describe el procedimiento para tratar a un perro que ataque a otro ser vivo o mate a un animal, y las correspondientes consecuencias de tales sucesos. Por último, la ley establece normas para el manejo de perros con enfermedades graves que puedan transmitirse a los seres humanos. | |
| Ley Nº 31807, 2023 - Peru | This law amends Law 30407, Animal Protection and Welfare Law, to incorporate the adoption and identification of companion animals. | |
| Ley Nº 31807, 2023 - Peru | Esta ley, aprobada en junio de 2023, describe una modificación a la ley 30407 para incluir normas relativas a la adopción de mascotas abandonadas y entregadas, o animales adoptados para ser de compañía. El objeto de esta modificación es ampliar la protección de los animales de compañía y garantizar su bienestar. | |
| MA - Assistance Animal - Assistance Animal/Guide Dog Laws | M.G.L.A. 90 § 14A; M.G.L.A. 129 § 1, 39C, 39D, 39F, 43; M.G.L.A. 272 § 98A; M.G.L.A. 272 § 85B; M.G.L.A. 140 § 139 | The following statutes comprise the state's relevant assistance animal and service dog laws. |
| MA - Cat of commonwealth - Chapter 2. Arms, Great Seal and Other Emblems of the Commonwealth. | M.G.L.A. 2 § 30 | The Tabby cat shall be the official cat of the Massachusetts commonwealth. |
| MA - Cruelty - Consolidated Cruelty Statutes | M.G.L.A. 272 § 77 - 95; M.G.L.A. 22C § 57; M.G.L.A. 272 § 34 | These Massachusetts laws contain the state's anti-cruelty provisions. Sec. 77 is the operative anti-cruelty statute and provides that whoever overdrives, overloads, drives when overloaded, overworks, tortures, torments, deprives of necessary sustenance, cruelly beats, mutilates or kills an animal, and whoever uses in a cruel or inhuman manner in a race, game, or contest, or in training, as lure or bait a live animal (except as bait in fishing), or knowingly and willfully authorizes or permits it to be subjected to unnecessary torture, suffering or cruelty of any kind shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for not more than 7 years or imprisonment for not more than 2 1/2 years or by a fine of not more than $5,000, or by both such fine and imprisonment. Other laws prohibit the dyeing of baby chicks, the docking of horse tails, and animal fighting, among other provisions. In 2010, the state made non-medically necessary devocalization of dogs or cats illegal. |
| MA - Cruelty, reporting - § 85. Department employees reporting animal cruelty, abuse or neglect; immunity from liability | M.G.L.A. 119 § 85 | This Massachusetts statute provides that a state employee acting within the scope of his or her employment, who has knowledge of or observes an animal whom he knows or reasonably suspects has been the victim of animal cruelty, abuse or neglect may report it to the entities that investigate these reports or any local animal control. The statute describes how to make the report, timing to submit, and who can make the report if 2 or more employees witness the abuse. The statute also makes clear that no person who makes a report shall be liable in any civil or criminal action if the report was made in good faith. |
| MA - Dog - Consolidated Dog Laws | M.G.L.A. 2 § 14; M.G.L.A. 112 § 12Z; M.G.L.A. 128A § 14E; M.G.L.A. 266 § 47; M.G.L.A. 140 § 136A - § 174F; M.G.L.A. 129 § 39G; M.G.L.A. 131 § 20, 21, 21A, 82 | These Massachusetts statutes comprise the state's dog laws. Among the provisions include licensing laws, dangerous dog laws, and rabies vaccination provisions. |
| MA - Domestic Violence - § 11. Possession, care and control of domesticated animal owned by persons involved in certain protecti | M.G.L.A. 209A § 11 | This Massachusetts law, effective October of 2012, allows the court to order the possession, care and control of any domesticated animal owned, possessed, leased, kept or held by either party or a minor child residing in the household to the plaintiff or petitioner in a no contact or restraining order. The court may order the defendant to refrain from abusing, threatening, taking, interfering with, transferring, encumbering, concealing, harming or otherwise disposing of such animal. |
| MA - Eggs - Ch. 129 Prevention of Farm Animal Cruelty Act | M.G.L.A. 129 §§ 1-1 - 1-12 | This collection of laws was created by Massachusetts voters when they approved Question 3 and the 2016 ballot. These laws prevent the inhumane confinement of pregnant pigs, calves raised for veal, and egg-laying hens in the state of Massachusetts. These laws also prohibit the sale of products in Massachusetts made from animals confined in violation of these laws. |
| MA - Endangered Species - Chapter 131A. Massachusetts Endangered Species Act | M.G.L.A. 131A § 1 - 7 | This Massachusetts statute comprises the state's endangered species act. "Endangered species", any species of plant or animal in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range including those species listed under the federal ESA. The director shall conduct investigations and consult with the natural heritage and endangered species advisory committee in order to determine whether any species of plant or animal constitutes an endangered or threatened species or species of special concern. Habitat alteration permits are required under this act when any person undertakes a project that may alter a significant portion of habitat. |
| MA - Equine Activity Liability Statute - Chapter 128. Agriculture. | M.G.L.A. 128 § 2D | This Massachusetts law provides that an equine activity sponsor, an equine professional, or any other person shall not be liable for an injury to or the death of a participant resulting from the inherent risks of equine activities. The statute sets out several definitions related to equine activities, but specifically notes that the term "engage in an equine activity" shall not include being a spectator at an equine activity, except in cases where the spectator places himself in an unauthorized area or in immediate proximity to the equine activity. Liability is not limited by this statute where the equine professional knowingly provided faulty tack or equipment, failed to make reasonable and prudent efforts to determine the ability of the participant to engage safely in the equine activity, owns or otherwise is in lawful possession of the land or facilities upon which the participant sustained injuries because of a known, dangerous latent condition, or if he or she commits an act or omission that constitutes willful or wanton disregard for the safety of the participant or intentionally injures the participant. |
| MA - Equine transport - License plates for vehicles transporting equine animals | M.G.L.A. 129 § 46 - 48 | This Massachusetts law provides that vehicles transporting equines must have a special license plate. Also, the use of multiple deck vehicles or the so-called "possum belly" vehicle used in the transportation of equine animals is prohibited. |
| MA - Exotic pet, breeding - Chapter 131. Inland Fisheries and Game and Other Natural Resources. | M.G.L.A. 131 § 23 | Massachusetts bans private possession of exotic pets, and requires licenses for those who deal and propagate wild species for other reasons. The Massachusetts director of the Division of Fisheries and Wildlife also issues a list of exempted species for which no permit is needed. |
| MA - Exotic Pets - Chapter 131. Inland Fisheries and Game and Other Natural Resources. | M.G.L.A. 131 § 77A | Massachusetts bans hybrid animals, those offspring of mating between a domestic animal and its wild counterpart, usually wolves and dogs. No individual may possess or own a hybrid as a pet. |
| MA - Fur - Chapter 131. Inland Fisheries and Game and Other Natural Resources. | M.G.L.A. 131 § 80A | Massachusetts law provides that a person may not use or possess any trap for capturing furbearing mammals except for common mouse and rat traps, nets, and box or cage traps. Traps designed to capture and hold a furbearing mammal by gripping the mammal's body, or body part are prohibited, including steel jaw leghold traps, padded leghold traps, and snares. This prohibition does not apply to federal, state, or municipal departments for the protection from threats to human health and safety (e.g., beaver or muskrat caused flooding or damage). |
| MA - Fur, labeling - Chapter 94. Inspection and Sale of Food, Drugs and Various Articles. | M.G.L.A. 94 § 277A | This law represents Massachusetts' fur labelling law. Under the law, all natural, dyed or imitation furs, and all articles made wholly or partly therefrom, sold at retail within the commonwealth, shall be plainly marked or labelled with an accurate statement of the material which they contain, together with the name and address of the seller. Whoever violates any provision of this section shall be punished by a fine of not more than two hundred dollars. |
| MA - Horse - § 3. Sleigh or sled; bells | M.G.L.A. 89 § 3 | This Massachusetts law states that no person shall travel on a way with a sleigh or sled drawn by a horse, unless there are at least three bells attached to some part of the harness. |
| MA - Hunting - Chapter 131. Inland Fisheries and Game and Other Natural Resources. | M.G.L.A. 131 § 5C | This law reflects Massachusetts' hunter harassment provision. Under the law, no person shall obstruct, interfere with or otherwise prevent the lawful taking of fish or wildlife by another at the locale where such activity is taking place. Acts prohibited include, but are not limited to, driving or disturbing wildlife, harassing another engaged in lawful taking of fish or wildlife, interjecting oneself into the line of fire, or erecting barriers to prevent access. A person may seek an injunction to prevent violation of this section and a person who sustains damages from any act in violation of the law may bring a civil action for punitive damages. |
| MA - Hunting, Internet - § 65A. Online Shooting or Spearing | M.G.L.A. 131 § 65A | This statute prohibits hunting via the Internet and the operation of online hunting businesses within the state of Massachusetts. Violation is punished by imprisonment in the house of correction for not more than 2 1/2 years or by a fine of not more than $2,500, or by both a fine and imprisonment. |
| MA - Initiatives - 2008 Question 3 (dog racing) | Question 3 (2008) | This proposed law would prohibit any dog racing or racing meeting in Massachusetts where any form of betting or wagering on the speed or ability of dogs occurs. The State Racing Commission would be prohibited from accepting or approving any application or request for racing dates for dog racing. Any person violating the proposed law could be required to pay a civil penalty of not less than $20,000 to the Commission. All existing parts of the chapter of the state's General Laws concerning dog and horse racing meetings would be interpreted as if they did not refer to dogs. These changes would take effect January 1, 2010. The measure was approved by a margin of 65% to 35 %. |
| MA - Initiatives - Question 3, 2000 (dog racing) | Question 3 (2000) | This Massachusetts ballot question asked voters in 2000 whether they wanted to prohibit in Massachusetts any dog racing where any form of betting or wagering on the speed or ability of dogs occurs. Any person violating the proposed law could be required to pay a civil penalty of not less than $20,000 to the State Racing Commission. The question failed with 49% voting "yes" and 51% voting "no" on the question. |
| MA - Initiatives - Question 3, Minimum Size Requirements for Farm Animal Containment (2016) | Question 3 | Massachusetts Question 3 is a law proposed by initiative petition and appears on the 2016 ballot. This proposed law would prohibit any farm owner or operator from knowingly confining any breeding pig, calf raised for veal, or egg-laying hen in a way that prevents the animal from lying down, standing up, fully extending its limbs, or turning around freely. The Secretary of the Commonwealth's official summary states: "This proposed law would prohibit any farm owner or operator from knowingly confining any breeding pig, calf raised for veal, or egg-laying hen in a way that prevents the animal from lying down, standing up, fully extending its limbs, or turning around freely. The proposed law would also prohibit any business owner or operator in Massachusetts from selling whole eggs intended for human consumption or any uncooked cut of veal or pork if the business owner or operator knows or should know that the hen, breeding pig, or veal calf that produced these products was confined in a manner prohibited by the proposed law. The proposed law would exempt sales of food products that combine veal or pork with other products, including soups, sandwiches, pizzas, hotdogs, or similar processed or prepared food items." A "yes" vote would prohibit any confinement of pigs, calves, and hens that prevents them from lying down, standing up, fully extending their limbs, or turning around freely. A "no" vote would make no change in current laws relative to the keeping of farm animals. |
| MA - Leash - § 174B. Restraint of dogs in public highway rest areas; penalty | M.G.L.A. 140 § 174B | This Massachusetts law states that whoever is the owner or keeper of a dog shall restrain said dog by a chain or leash when in an officially designated public highway rest area. Whoever violates the provisions of this section shall be punished by a fine of not more than $100. |
| MA - Lien - § 24. Domestic animals; care and custody | M.G.L.A. 255 § 24 | Persons having proper charges due them for pasturing, boarding or keeping horses or other domestic animals which are brought to their premises or placed in their care by or with the consent of the owners thereof shall have a lien on such animals for such charges. |
| MA - Lost Property - Chapter 134. Lost Goods and Stray Beasts | M.G.L.A. 134 § 1 - 7 | This section comprises Massachusetts' Lost Goods and Stray Beasts Act. |
| MA - Pet Sales Age Restriction - Chapter 129. Livestock Disease Control | M.G.L.A. 129 § 39G; § 43 | This statute provides that any dog or cat brought or shipped into the commonwealth shall be accompanied by an official health certificate issued by an accredited veterinarian, a copy of which shall be sent to the commissioner of agricultural resources. Further, a commercial establishment, pet shop, firm or corporation shall not import into the commonwealth, for sale or resale in the commonwealth, a cat or dog less than 8 weeks of age. |
| MA - Pet Trust - Chapter 203. Trusts. | M.G.L.A. 203E § 408 | In 2011, Massachusetts enacted this law, which allows the creation of a trust for the continuing care of an animal alive during the settlor's lifetime. The trust terminates upon the death of the last animal named in the trust. A court may reduce the amount of property held by the trust if it determines that the amount substantially exceeds the amount required for the intended use and the court finds that there will be no substantial adverse impact in the care, maintenance, health or appearance of the covered animal. The statute was renumbered in 2012. |
| MA - Police animals - 9A Emergency treatment of police dogs | M.G.L.A. 111C § 9A | This 2022 Massachusetts law mandates that EMS personnel provide emergency treatment to a police dog injured in the line of duty and transport such police dog by ambulance to a veterinary care facility equipped to provide emergency treatment to dogs. EMS personnel shall not transport an injured police dog if providing such transport would inhibit their ability to provide emergency medical attention or transport to a person requiring such services. The law also outlines training for EMS personnel in treating police dogs. |
| MA - Possession - Chapter 131. Inland Fisheries and Game and Other Natural Resources. | M.G.L.A. 131 § 75A | Massachusetts specifically protects the eagle as a bird of prey from hunting or possession, unless provided by permit. The law further prohibits the possession, harassment or harming of the eggs and nests of birds of prey. Notably, sale and transportation are not specifically listed under the statute. |
| MA - Vehicle - § 22H. Safe transportation of animals | M.G.L.A. 90 § 22H | In Massachusetts, transporting an animal in the back of a motor vehicle on a public way unless such space is enclosed or has side and tail racks to a height of at least 46 inches extending vertically from the floor, the animal is cross tethered to the vehicle, the animal is protected by a secured container or cage or the animal is otherwise protected in a manner which will prevent the animal from being thrown or from falling or jumping from the vehicle results in a fine of not less than $50. |
| MA - Veterinary - Veterinary Practice Laws | M.G.L.A. 112 § 54 - 60 | These are the state's veterinary practice laws. Among the provisions include licensing requirements, laws concerning the state veterinary board, veterinary records laws, and the laws governing disciplinary actions for impaired or incompetent practitioners. |
| Maine Laws: Chapter 182 'Lands reserved for public uses.' | 1883 Me. Laws 182 | The act concerns the allocation of land for the public use within a township. |
| Maine: An Act against Sodomy and Bestiality. | 1821 Me. Laws 5. | An Act concerning the punishment for Sodomy and Bestiality for Maine in 1821. |
| Malawi National Parks and Wildlife Act | No 11 of 1992 |
This law represented a major redraft of the old British game law. It protects endangered species and parks. It also sets out the general game law. Notably it also requires the use of environmental impact statements. |
| Manila Conference on Animal Welfare | The Manila Conference on Animal Welfare recognizes: That animal welfare is an issue worth consideration by governments. That the promotion of animalof animal welfare requires collective action and all stakeholders and affected parties must be involved. That work on animal welfare is a continuous process. RECOGNIZING that animals are living, sentient beings and therefore deserve due consideration and respect. | |
| Maryland General Laws Supplement 1890-1898: Cruelty to Animals | 1890 Md. Laws 142,198,340 | The Maryland General Laws supplement covers the additions to the Cruelty of Animals statutes for Maryland from 1890-1898. The amendments cover court procedure to implementation of specific laws for certain animals. |
| Massachusetts 1854-1859: Chapter 96: An act to prevent cruelty to animals | Mass. Gen, Laws ch. 96, §§ 1-2 (1859) | Section 1 from Chapter 96 of Massachusetts General Laws of 1859 covers cruelty to animals. Specifically, the law covers what qualifies as cruelty to animals and the punishment for it. |
| Massachusetts General Law Statutes 1860-1872: Chapter 344: Sections 1-3 | Mass. Gen. L. ch. 344 (1869) | The Massachusetts law from 1869 stated in Chapter 344 concerns the treatment of animals. The first section is a generic animal cruelty act. The second section details the punishment for owners of animals that allow their animals to be treated cruelly by a third party. The third section concerns the treatment of animals during transportation. |
| Massachusetts General Law Statutes 1921: Sections 77-96 | Mass. Gen. L., 77-96 (1921) | The 1921 of Massachusetts General Laws sections 77-96 cover the following topics: animal cruelty, treatment of horses, bird fighting, shooting of pigeons, procedural issues concerning an arrest for cruelty to animals, and transportation of animals. |