Senator Bruce Tarr

Senator Tarr is sponsoring two animal protection bills this session.

An Act relative to the use of elephants, big cats, primates, and bears in traveling exhibits and shows prohibits the use of elephants, big cats, primates, and bears in traveling shows in Massachusetts. These shows—using dangerous animals—are not only detrimental to animal welfare, but also present a public safety risk. These traveling shows subject highly intelligent, social animals to coercive and abusive treatment and a life on the road where they are deprived of exercise, and the ability to express their most basic, natural behaviors.

An Act protecting research animals facilitates a relationship between laboratories that use dogs and cats for research purposes and registered non-profit animal rescue organizations in order to make retired laboratory dogs and cats available for public adoption.