10/30/2026
Get ready for long, but, important read, especially if you are in Bedford, MA (Lexington, too) !
~Hard to believe with all the rescue resources available in Massachusetts, a MA animal control officer legally does not have to help a cat or kitten in need, since MA state law says it's up to each individual town.
~Which is exactly what happened this past week in Bedford, MA, when a business owner on Great Road (who is also a Bedford resident) noticed a cat in very poor condition in need of help in her parking lot. According to the business owner, when she contacted the Bedford/Lexington MA Animal Control Officer, she said he told her to leave the cat alone and made no offer to check on the cat, to see if it needed help or not. Which, it did. Stated in fact aco even made it hard for her. Business owner had to figure out how to help the cat. Eventually, we were contacted, visited site and found a senior cat in full of fleas, not microchipped, not spayed and severely underweight at just 4 lbs.
~ When BCCC inquired Friday to Mass Dept of Agricultural Resources (MDAR) if true an official does not have to render assistance to a feline in need, received following reply: "The duties of Animal Control Officers are assigned under MGL Chapter 140, sections 151 and 151A. Though municipalities may choose to add other duties, including dealing with stray cats, the laws do not require it. The two ways this could be addressed are to lobby the Town to increase the duties of animal control to include cats, or to lobby the legislature to change the law to mandate it for all municipalities. Obviously going town by town will take considerable effort, but despite trying to include cats in prior legislative pushes those provisions tend to get stripped out, and so far none have passed.
Unless an animal is posing a significant public health or public safety concern there is no obligation for them to respond. We don't have any authority within our regulations to supersede the state law."
~Citizens of Bedford and Lexington, MA, we hope you will make decision to make changes, so EVERY animal gets the help it needs. At minimum, even if list of rescues was provided, could have made difference.
~In meantime, the 3 lbs., senior cat from a Bedford parking lot got help this week from BCCC, because a business person cared more than a town employee. Come on Bedford, MA, you can do better !
