Animal cruelty including hoarding is criminalized statewide under M.G.L. Chapter 272 Section 77. Hoarding triggers welfare investigations and felony charges in severe cases.
M.G.L. Chapter 272 Section 77 makes animal cruelty a felony punishable by up to 7 years in state prison and $5,000 fine for first offense. Animal hoarding is prosecuted under this statute when conditions cause suffering. The PAWS Act (2014) and PAWS II (2018) expanded protections. Veterinarians, social workers, and law enforcement are authorized to report. Convicted hoarders may be barred from owning animals.
Felony: up to 7 years state prison plus $5,000 fine; second offense up to 10 years; mandatory animal forfeiture; ownership ban.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Lowell, MA
Lowell Code Section 204-4C(1)-(4) declares unlawful any unnecessary motor noise (backfiring, racing, tire-screeching), improper horn/signaling-device use, di...
Lowell, MA
Lowell Code Section 204-3 sets a full district-by-time dBA table (residential 40-50 dB(A), industrial up to 70 dB(A) daytime), measured at the property bound...
Lowell, MA
Lowell restricts gas-powered leaf blower use to daytime hours; no outright ban exists, but decibel and hour limits apply under the general noise ordinance.
Lowell, MA
Outdoor music at restaurants, breweries, and event venues in Lowell requires an entertainment license and must end by 10 p.m. in residential zones.
Lowell, MA
Lowell Code Chapter 204, Section 204-3 sets district-based dBA limits keyed to time of day. In single- and two-family residential districts the limit drops t...
Lowell, MA
Lowell Code Section 204-4C(12) makes it unlawful to operate any radio, stereo, loudspeaker, instrument or other sound-reproducing device so as to disturb a r...
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