{"data":{"id":"us-ma/mass.-gen.-laws-ch.-272-80h","jurisdiction":"us-ma","citation":"Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 272, § 80H","heading":"Motor vehicles; striking, injuring or killing dogs or cats","body":"Section 80H. The operator of a motor vehicle that strikes and injures or kills a dog or cat shall forthwith report such an accident to the owner or custodian of said dog or cat or to a police officer in the town wherein such accident has occurred. A violation of this section shall be punished by a fine of not more than $100 for a first offense or not more 10 days in a house of corrections and a fine of $500 and the cost of medical expenses, not to exceed $2,500, imprisonment in a house of correction for not more than 6 months or both such fine and cost and imprisonment for a second and subsequent offense. Nothing in this section shall preclude a civil cause of action including, but not limited to medical expenses, by the aggrieved party.","path":["Part IV","Title I","Chapter 272"],"source_url":"https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartIV/TitleI/Chapter272/Section80H","current_through":"amendments passed before May 31, 2026","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-09-17T05:25:17Z","sha256":"a5298d500edcdc2ab34e149fdc592c6f3a04f204f5a7b801a6a6e9c311cb658f","source_id":"us-ma","stale":false,"prev":"us-ma/mass.-gen.-laws-ch.-272-80g","next":"us-ma/mass.-gen.-laws-ch.-272-80i"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}