Massachusetts Senate Unanimously Passes Sweeping PETS Act Banning Puppy Mill Pet Sales

BOSTON — March 19, 2026 — The Massachusetts Senate voted 38-0 Thursday to pass the PETS Act, banning the retail sale of dogs, cats, and rabbits in pet shops, prohibiting cosmetic animal testing, and expanding pet ownership rights in state-aided public housing. Senate No. 3014, formally titled An Act Promoting Pet Equity, Treatment and Safety, was championed by Senator Patrick M. O'Connor of Weymouth, who called the pet-shop supply chain "criminal" if it operated within state borders, and Senator Mark C. Montigny of New Bedford, who framed the civil-penalty additions as essential because Massachusetts remains "the only state in the country" limiting animal cruelty prevention to felony charges. Senator Pavel M. Payano of Lawrence secured breed-discrimination protections after describing doing "quiet, painful math" while apartment hunting with a pit bull named Teja. The chamber also voted 38-0 to designate October 15 as Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Day, with Senator Paul R. Feeney of Foxborough delivering a personal floor speech drawing on his own family's journey through pregnancy loss, and the Senate additionally adopted extension orders for committees on Public Safety, Healthcare Financing, and Public Health covering dozens of pending bills.