The Dog The Pound Picked Up
G.L. c. 140, § 151A — an unlicensed dog held for 7 days before adoption or euthanasia
Seven days. The animal control officer catches and confines dogs that are not licensed, collared or tagged as the chapter requires. A dog may be euthanized, or made available for adoption if free of disease, only after being detained for a period of 7 days.
The care. Detained dogs are kept in a suitable, sanitary place or with a licensed kennel or animal protection charity. The officer is allowed a daily sum for care, paid by the owner if known.
Dangerous dog proceedings, bite quarantines, and local fee schedules are set out elsewhere and are not on this page. What a particular shelter's hours or fees are is a question for that shelter or a licensed Massachusetts attorney.
Sources for this section (1)
- G.L. c. 140, § 151A — Confinement of dogs; duties of animal control officers
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of September 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Massachusetts attorney.