Senate passes legislation removing breed restrictions from consideration in DCF foster placements

All good pups can be a family's best friend, regardless of breed

(BOSTON—9/26/2024) Today the Massachusetts Senate passed legislation to ensure families can foster a child regardless of the breed of dog in the foster home.

Under the new law, the Department of Children and Families (DCF) would consider factors such as a pet's history of dangerous behavior and their health records, instead of a pet's breed. Currently, a family who is thinking of adopting cannot do so if they own breeds including Rottweilers, pit bulls, German shepherds, or a dog which mixes at least two of these three breeds.

“I don’t leave for the State House until I say goodbye to my pit bull Lincoln, and when I get home, he’s the first one to welcome me with a kiss and a wagging tail,” said Senate President Karen E. Spilka (D-Ashland). “Dog owners around the state know the same thing I do—a dog’s breed has nothing to do with their behavior, and every breed of dog can love a family unconditionally, the way Lincoln loves my family. I’m grateful for Senator Gomez’ leadership on this legislation, and grateful that we got this done.”

“I am proud of our body for taking this action today, removing an unnecessary restriction from the adoption process and empowering our licensed social workers to use their judgement, scientific facts, and data when determining home fitness, free from arbitrary breed restrictions,” said Senator Adam Gomez, lead Senate sponsor of the legislation. “By taking this step we open the door to starting a family for thousands of people, and I look forward to seeing it go into effect.”

According to the American Association for the Advancement of Science, a dog's breed is a poor predictor of behavior, and is uninformative with regard to how easily a dog is provoked by something frightening or uncomfortable.

According to 2021 census data, nearly one in every three households (30%) in Massachusetts has a dog. Boston ranked eleventh nationally among metro areas with the highest pet ownership ranks, with 38.7% of households owning a pet.

The legislation also clarifies that human service workers are able to report instances of animal abuse when acting in their professional capacity.

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