{"data":{"id":"us-ma/mass.-gen.-laws-ch.-140-158","jurisdiction":"us-ma","citation":"Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 140, § 158","heading":"Euthanizing unrestrained dogs or dogs in wild state","body":"Section 158. A police officer, constable or animal control officer may capture, detain or, in the case of a threat to public safety, euthanize a dog in a humane manner if found to be in violation of an order of a hearing authority or a district court and may euthanize a dog, in a humane manner, if it is living in a wild state.","path":["Part I","Title XX","Chapter 140"],"source_url":"https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartI/TitleXX/Chapter140/Section158","current_through":"amendments passed before May 31, 2026","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-09-17T05:23:19Z","sha256":"d805ab8cf530e4f67e7b6e3a46217cb678e188f3b19cb2a39a98ab0043e71f51","source_id":"us-ma","stale":false,"prev":"us-ma/mass.-gen.-laws-ch.-140-157a","next":"us-ma/mass.-gen.-laws-ch.-140-159"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}