what is the penalty for relocating wildlife in massachusetts (Boston: house, law)

[brrrinmass]

Can anyone tell me what the fine is for relocating trapped nuisance critters in Massachusetts. Thank you.

[Cape Cod Todd]

I don't know but relocating any animal is against the law.

What is silly is how a critter control company will set up traps to catch a nuisance animal as humanely as possible but then they kill them when they get back to the shop.

I wonder if you could find an answer on a state site .gov or under a game warden tab?

[timberline742]

Call the Massachusetts Environmental Police (our Wardens)

Contact Information for Main Office & All Bureaus

[CaseyB]

Originally Posted by Cape Cod Todd

I don't know but relocating any animal is against the law.

What is silly is how a critter control company will set up traps to catch a nuisance animal as humanely as possible but then they kill them when they get back to the shop.

I wonder if you could find an answer on a state site .gov or under a game warden tab?

Yes, it's silly. It is against the law, though. That's why you don't tell anyone when you do it.

I have a "Havaheart" trap to catch mice and then I release them in a field a couple of miles away.

[timberline742]

It's best not to break this law, there is good reason for it, it is not silly at all. Research has shown over and over and over relocating wildlife willy nilly (without proper acclimation) is a death sentence to the animals being released, and stressful for the resident populations for where the animal is being relocated to (if it is proper habitat there will already be a population) and is a good way to spread disease vectors among populations as well.

And why the critter control companies work to catch the animals as humanely as possible is because one often catches non target animals, such as a house cat, which would be released.

[BostonMike7]

Are we talking trapping 3 field mice in one's home and releasing them into a field 200-300 feet away? Or trapping a fisher cat and releasing it 10 miles away in some woods.

[brrrinmass]

Originally Posted by BostonMike7

Are we talking trapping 3 field mice in one's home and releasing them into a field 200-300 feet away? Or trapping a fisher cat and releasing it 10 miles away in some woods.

So I am talking about trapping a ground hog and/or skunks for relocation. Or is it legal to euthanize them with a .22LR after trapping since you can not relocate. Still want to know what the fine is for relocation.
Thanks

[brrrinmass]

Originally Posted by Cape Cod Todd

I don't know but relocating any animal is against the law.

What is silly is how a critter control company will set up traps to catch a nuisance animal as humanely as possible but then they kill them when they get back to the shop.

I wonder if you could find an answer on a state site .gov or under a game warden tab?

I did look at the mass.gov website and looked at Mass General Law 131.xx I believe but could not figure out what the fines were.

[bohemka]

Originally Posted by brrrinmass

So I am talking about trapping a ground hog and/or skunks for relocation. Or is it legal to euthanize them with a .22LR after trapping since you can not relocate. Still want to know what the fine is for relocation.
Thanks

You could call a pest control company and ask them. They'd surely be aware of the associated penalties.

[timberline742]

Sigh, call OLE and ask, its that simple.

But just do not do it, besides illegal you're potentially harming wildlife populations.

It is a bit circular to look up. But the penalties are in MGL 131. One needs to consult the CMRs then work from there. I'm dubious as to the reason for this question so I'm stopping there.