An Act relative to further increasing the fines for cruelty to animals, and establishing a fund dedicated to improvements for local animal shelters

This bill increases the maximum fines for animal cruelty in Massachusetts, raising the limit for first offenses to $5,500 and for subsequent offenses to $11,000. A portion of these fines, capped at $500 for first-time violations and $1,000 for repeat violations, must be directed into a special account for local animal shelters. The collected funds are intended to finance improvements to municipal shelters or, if a shelter does not exist in the area, to support local groups and nonprofits that promote animal welfare and adoption.