Massachusetts General Laws
Chapter 131 - Inland Fisheries and Game and Other Natural Resources
Section 25b - Quarantined Animals; Destruction and Disposal

Section 25B. If the director, by examination of a case of contagious or infectious disease or parasite of any fish, bird, mammal, reptile or amphibian, has imposed a quarantine as provided in section twenty-five A, and is of the opinion that the public good so requires or that the protection of the fish, bird, mammal, reptile or amphibian resources of the commonwealth is necessary or that the interest of other propagators are jeopardized, he may cause such fish, bird, mammal, reptile or amphibian to be destroyed without liability. An order for destroying shall be issued in writing by the director, shall be directed to the owner or to any person having an interest therein or to the person in charge of such fish, bird, mammal, reptile or amphibian and shall contain such direction as to the examination and disposal of the carcass and the cleansing and disinfection of the premises where such fish, bird, mammal, reptile or amphibian was condemned as the director considers expedient. Destruction and disposal of any such fish, bird, mammal, reptile or amphibian shall be in a manner as determined by the director and shall be conducted under the direct supervision of the director or his appointed designee.

Structure Massachusetts General Laws

Massachusetts General Laws

Part I - Administration of the Government

Title XIX - Agriculture and Conservation

Chapter 131 - Inland Fisheries and Game and Other Natural Resources

Section 1 - Definitions; Rules of Construction

Section 1a - Division of Fisheries and Wildlife; Board; Members

Section 1b - Removal of Board Members

Section 1c - Conflicts of Interest

Section 1d - Reimbursement

Section 1e - Meetings

Section 1f - Director

Section 1g - Director; Powers and Duties

Section 1h - Bureau of Wildlife Research and Management

Section 1i - Damage by Moose or Deer

Section 2a - Wildland Acquisition Account

Section 2b - Deposit of Revenues; Interest

Section 2c - George L. Darey Inland Fisheries and Game Fund; Funding Sources; Appropriations

Section 3 - Disposition of Fines, Penalties and Forfeitures

Section 4 - Powers of Director

Section 5 - Open Seasons; Rules and Regulations

Section 5b - Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program; Administration; Advisory Committee

Section 5c - Obstruction or Interference With Lawful Taking of Fish or Wildlife; Remedies

Section 6 - Acquisition of Rights, Privileges, Lands and Properties

Section 7 - Wildlife Sanctuaries; Trusts

Section 8 - Use of Wildlife Sanctuaries and Preserves; Rules and Regulations

Section 9 - Publication of Order Establishing Wildlife Sanctuary; Posting

Section 10 - Hunting or Trapping Within Wildlife Sanctuary

Section 10a - Nature Preserves; Designation

Section 10b - Nature Preserve Council

Section 10c - Release of Nature Preserves

Section 10d - Consultation; Rules and Regulations

Section 11 - Licenses; Requirements; Fees; Trapper Training Courses

Section 12 - Licenses; Issuance; Form; Display

Section 13 - Construction of Licensing Laws; Archery or Primitive Firearm Season on Deer; Migratory Waterfowl Season; Certificates for Veterans Hospitals and Schools for Mentally-Retarded

Section 13a - Wildlands Conservation Stamps

Section 14 - Hunter Education Programs; Issuance of Licenses to Minors; Target Practice; Confiscation of Firearms

Section 15 - Issuance of Special Complimentary Certificate to Officials of Other States

Section 16 - Loss or Destruction of License; Duplicates

Section 17 - Retention of Part of License Fee by Issuing Officer or Person

Section 17a - Municipal Processing Fee for Sale of Licenses

Section 17b - Notice of Intent Not to Sell Licenses

Section 18 - License Record Books; Payment of Monies by Issuing Officer to Director; Surety Bonds

Section 19 - License to Put Fish or Spawn Into Inland Waters; Permit to Import Live Fish or Viable Eggs, Certification, Inspection for Disease, and Disposition

Section 19a - Permit to Import Live Birds or Mammals; Rules and Regulations; Inspection and Testing for Disease; Certification; Disposition

Section 19b - Transporting Mammals for Purpose of Euthanasia; Putting Animal to Death by Drowning Prohibited

Section 20 - Field Trials for Retriever or Bird Dogs

Section 21 - Training of Hunting Dogs; Field Trials

Section 21a - Unfair Hunting Practices Prohibited

Section 22 - Sale of Fish and Game

Section 22a - Disposition of Deer; Rules and Regulations; Permits; Fees

Section 23 - Propagation, Dealing, etc., in Fish, Birds, Mammals, Reptiles or Amphibians; Rules and Regulations; Licenses; Fees

Section 24 - Dealers' Licenses; Sale for Food Purposes

Section 25 - Possession of Live Birds, Mammals, Reptiles or Amphibians; Sale; Tags; Labels; Accounts

Section 25a - Quarantine of Diseased Fish, Birds, Mammals, etc.; Order or Notice; Procedures; Liability for Expenses

Section 25b - Quarantined Animals; Destruction and Disposal

Section 25c - Quarantined Animals; Prohibited Acts; Penalties

Section 26 - Importation of Fish, Birds, Mammals, Reptiles or Amphibians; Shipments; Tags; Violations; Seizure and Disposition

Section 27 - Taxidermists' Licenses; Permits; Accounts; Shipments

Section 28 - Fur Buyers' Licenses; Shipments; Accounts

Section 29 - Natural History Associations and Museums, Zoos

Section 30 - Permits for Netting of Carp and Suckers

Section 31 - Commercial Shooting Preserves; Permits; Licenses

Section 32 - Licenses; Expiration; Loan or Transfer; Production for Examination; Suspension or Revocation

Section 33 - Prohibited Acts; Licenses, Permits, Applications, Certificates, Tags or Seals

Section 34 - Conviction for Violations; Surrender of License, Permit or Certificate

Section 35 - Failure to Carry License and Wear It Visibly; Exception Under Automated Licensing System

Section 36 - Fishing, Hunting, or Trapping on Private, Posted Land

Section 37 - Killing of Game by Owner or Tenant of Land; Reports

Section 38 - Farmers; Permit to Trap and Kill Birds

Section 39a - Berkshire County; Watershed Resources; Natural Scenic Qualities

Section 40 - Removal, Fill, Dredging or Altering of Land Bordering Waters

Section 40a - Orders Protecting Inland Wetlands

Section 40b - Farmland Advisory Board; Meetings; Advisory Duties

Section 41 - Protection of Fisheries From Discharge of Waste Materials Into Inland Waters

Section 42 - Protection of Fish in Inland Waters; Pollution; Alteration of Flows or Water Levels; Application of Section; Damages

Section 43 - Poisons

Section 44 - Deposit of Garbage or Trash on Property While Hunting, Fishing or Trapping

Section 45 - Great Ponds; Public Use; Rules and Regulations

Section 46 - Measurement of Ponds

Section 47 - Riparian Proprietors; Enclosure of Waters

Section 48 - Draining of Pond, Reservoir or Other Body of Water

Section 49 - Ponds on State Boundary; Fishing

Section 50 - Methods of Taking Fish; Angling, Nets and Seines, Pots, Spearing, Bow and Arrow

Section 51 - Taking of Trout in Coastal Waters

Section 52 - Taking of Certain Fish for Bait

Section 52a - Commercial Taking of Eels in Inland Waters; Penalties

Section 53 - Fishing With Floats; Toggle Fishing

Section 54 - Fish Traps, Nets and Seines, Hooks

Section 55 - Forfeiture of Net, Seine, or Other Device; Forfeiture of Fish

Section 56 - Special Statutes Relating to Fisheries; Alewife Fisheries

Section 57 - Sundays

Section 58 - Shooting Upon or Across Highway; Hunting Near Dwelling

Section 59 - Reservations, Parks, Public Lands; Hunting; State Forests

Section 60 - Weapons; Careless or Negligent Use Causing Injury or Death to Another; Report

Section 61 - Weapons; Careless or Negligent Use Causing Damage to Property or Livestock; Tort Liability

Section 62 - Weapons; Intoxicating Liquor or Drugs

Section 63 - Loaded Shotgun or Rifle in Motor Vehicle, Aircraft or Motorboat

Section 64 - Automatic Firearms, Machine Guns or Bows; Use of Tracer Ammunition

Section 65 - Hunting From Motor Vehicle, Snowmobile, Aircraft or Watercraft

Section 65a - Online Shooting or Spearing

Section 66 - Shotgun Shells, Load

Section 67 - Rifles, Revolvers and Pistols; Caliber

Section 68 - Hunting With Artificial Light; Swivel or Pivot Gun

Section 69 - Bows and Arrows for Hunting

Section 70 - Hunting With Rifle, Revolver or Pistol, or by the Aid of a Dog; Primitive Firearms

Section 71 - Orange Clothing While Hunting

Section 72 - Deer Tags

Section 73 - Hunting Moose

Section 74 - Bird Nests and Eggs

Section 75 - Wild Turkey

Section 75a - Birds of Prey

Section 76 - Removal of Mammal From Hole, or From Under Ledge, Stone or Log

Section 77 - Ferrets; Possession and Use

Section 77a - Wild Canid and Felid Hybrids

Section 78 - Protection of Property by Owner or Tenant; Transportation of Firearms to or From Range

Section 79 - Trap, Net or Snare; Use Restricted

Section 80 - Registration and Identification of Traps

Section 80a - Leghold Traps and Certain Other Devices Restricted; Punishment

Section 81 - Suspension of Open Seasons Because of Fire Hazard

Section 82 - Dogs, Running at Large; Protection of Deer

Section 83 - Sparrows and Starlings

Section 84 - Pigeons

Section 85 - Transportation of Fish or Other Animals Into or Out of Commonwealth

Section 86 - Property Used for Scientific Experiments or Investigations or for Propagation

Section 87 - Arrest Without Warrant; Seizures; Forfeitures

Section 88 - Display of Fish, Game, and Equipment for Inspection

Section 89 - Search Warrants; Seizures and Forfeitures

Section 90 - Penalties

Section 90a - Suspended or Revoked Foreign Licenses

Section 91 - Limitation of Actions and Prosecutions

Section 92 - Severability