2014 Massachusetts General Laws
PART IV CRIMES, PUNISHMENTS AND PROCEEDINGS IN CRIMINAL CASES
TITLE I CRIMES AND PUNISHMENTS
CHAPTER 272 CRIMES AGAINST CHASTITY, MORALITY, DECENCY AND GOOD ORDER
Section 85A Injuring, taking away or harboring domesticated animals or birds; removal of dog license tag, collar or harness; imitation tag

Section 85A. Whoever with wrongful intent kills, maims, entices or carries away a dog or other domesticated animal or bird shall be liable in tort to its owner for three times its value. Any person who removes from the dog of another its license tag, collar or harness, or who, without the authorization of the owner or keeper, holds or harbors a dog or other domesticated animal of another, or who holds or harbors a lost or strayed dog or other domesticated animal for more than forty-eight hours after such animal comes into his possession without reporting or taking it to the police station or dog officer nearest to the place where it was found and informing the police officer or dog officer in charge where such dog or other animal was found, the name, color, age, size and pedigree, as fully as possible, of such animal and the person’s own name and address, or who shall cause a dog to wear an imitation or counterfeit of the official tag prescribed by section one hundred and thirty-seven, one hundred and thirty-seven A or one hundred and thirty-seven B of chapter one hundred and forty, shall be punished by a fine of not more than one hundred dollars.