No Essex County town can ban or restrict a dog by breed. MGL c.140 §157 states no city or town shall regulate dogs in a manner specific to breed, so pit bulls and every breed are treated alike.
Massachusetts prohibits breed-specific legislation statewide. Under c.140 §157, no city or town can regulate dogs in a manner specific to breed, and a dog can't be declared dangerous based on its breed. That means Lynn, Lawrence, Salem, and every Essex community treat pit bulls, Rottweilers, and all breeds identically; any dangerous-dog finding rests on the individual dog's behavior after a hearing. Landlords and insurers may still set their own breed policies, but town government cannot.
A breed-specific ordinance is unenforceable and void under c.140 §157. Dangerous-dog orders must target an individual dog's conduct through a hearing; a determination based on breed alone is overturned on appeal to the district court.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Essex County, MA
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Essex County, MA
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Essex County, MA
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Essex County, MA
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Essex County, MA
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Essex County, MA
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See how Essex County's breed restrictions rules stack up against other locations.
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