What constitutes provocation for an animal? What's the definition of "teasing or harassing? By nature and/or training, most dogs will protect their territory or themselves, no different than humans do. It is wholly unfair to punish and even kill them for their instincts or for the negligent actions of .
When Animal Control or local authorities come to your home about your dog, the situation can escalate quickly. A simple off-leash citation, a nuisance complaint, or even a dog barking at a neighbor can result in your pet being classified as “potentially dangerous,” “dangerous,” or “vicious.” In many cases, dogs are taken into custody and their owners face hearings that may determine whether the dog is released, permanently impounded, or even euthanized.
At Teper Legal, PLLC, we fight for dog owners across Massachusetts to contest unfair citations, challenge dangerous dog designations, and protect pets from unnecessary euthanasia or impoundment.
Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 140, gives municipalities the authority to regulate dogs deemed dangerous or nuisance animals. This often involves:
While towns and cities may vary in their enforcement, every pet owner has a right to a fair hearing and due process. This means you must be notified in advance—generally with at least five days’ notice—and given a reasonable chance to defend your dog.
Even though dogs are still considered “property” under most U.S. law, your constitutional rights are clear:
Authorities such as Animal Control officers, local police, MDAR (Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources), or City/Town Boards cannot simply take your dog or order euthanasia without this process.
With years of experience in animal law and civil rights, Attorney Adam E. Teper knows how to navigate Massachusetts’ dangerous dog proceedings. We:
Sometimes even Animal Control officers and board members misinterpret the law, applying standards too harshly or recommending euthanasia before less drastic options are considered. Teper Legal ensures the correct application of Massachusetts law and holds authorities accountable when they overreach.
Every town enforces dangerous dog laws differently. Some are more forgiving, while others push quickly toward the most severe measures. Without an experienced Massachusetts dog hearing attorney on your side, you risk losing your dog permanently.
We understand the emotional stakes—your pet is family. That’s why Teper Legal combines knowledge of Massachusetts General Laws, consumer protection principles, and constitutional due process to provide comprehensive representation.
If your dog has been taken by Animal Control or you’ve received notice of a dangerous dog hearing in Massachusetts, act quickly. These hearings move fast, and the outcome can mean life or death for your dog.
📞 Contact Teper Legal, PLLC today to schedule a consultation. We will fight to protect your rights, defend your pet, and challenge any unfair or unlawful actions by local authorities.
Dogs may exhibit various behaviors such as biting, barking, or growling for a multitude of reasons. Typically, when a dog barks, growls, or lunges, or exhibits any other "warning" type behaviors, it is attempting to communicate in the only way it knows how, and trying to show someone its frustration or a multitude of other feelings concerning the given situation that gave rise to the bite, scratch, jump or other alleged incident that caused injury. While animals communicate differently, they communicate nonetheless, and these various forms of "communication" serve as a warning or indication that if a dog or person fails to give them space or stop acting in a certain way, a bite may occur. In the world of equines, a horse will pin their ears back to deliver warnings. A dog Growls; a cat hisses, and so on. Often times in court, alleged victims often exaggerate or "fluff" their stories and their injuries themselves, and are SOMETIMES not truthful about the reasons why the dog did what they did, if anything. Statutory language provides dogs cannot be found vicious if they were provoked, harassed, etc.
So, here at Teper Legal, PLLC, Attorney Teper does his due diligence on gathering factual evidence regarding your individual case and dog behavior (through the use of Dog Behaviorists or other "experts" in order to combat such fluffed dramatizations. The risk of losing and having clients be forced to endure a euthanasia is always a threat, which means these Vicious Dog Hearings could be your only chance to make a case that could save your animal's life. Teper Legal, PLLC, fights to avoid kill orders and euthanasia at all costs, and makes arguments to show why euthanasia should either never be used, or always be a last resort when other options fail. "Necessary" as often described by Animal Control Departments in regards to these kill orders, is a relative term and Necessary doesn't always mean "Absolutely Necessary." Other less drastic measures must be attempted first; this is where Teper Legal comes in!
We use cookies to analyze website traffic and optimize your website experience. By accepting our use of cookies, your data will be aggregated with all other user data.