Massachusetts General Laws

Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 140, § 159 (2026)

Treble damages for injuries caused by dogs ordered to be restrained

✓ current as of July 2026

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Section 159. If a hearing authority or a district court has deemed a dog to be a dangerous dog and such dog wounds a person or worries, wounds or kills any livestock or fowl, the owner or keeper of the dog shall be liable in tort to the person injured by the dog for 3 times the amount of damages sustained by such person.

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 5 cases, 1962–2004 · leading case: Mellor v. Berman, 454 N.E.2d 907 (Mass. 1983).

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Mellor v. Berman, 454 N.E.2d 907 (Mass. 1983). “91, § 59A, G.L.c. 140, § 159, G.L.c. 130, §§ 63, 68A, G.”

Bros. v. Lipp, 2004 Mass. App. Div. 21 (Mass. Dist. Ct., App. Div. 2004). “The strict liability count also referred to G.L.c. 140, §159, which provides for treble damages in the event of injury cased by a dog previously ordered restrained.”

Clay v. Derrivan, 2001 Mass. App. Div. 67 (Mass. Dist. Ct., App. Div. 2001). · cites it 4× “This is an action pursuant to G.L.c. 140, §159 to recover damages for personal injuries caused by the defendants’ dog.”

Mellor v. Berman, 390 Mass. 275 (Mass. 1983). “91, § 59A, G. L. c. 140, § 159, G. L. c. 130, §§ 63, 68A, G.”

Dunn v. Sarno, 25 Mass. App. Dec. 39 (Mass. Dist. Ct., App. Div. 1962). · cites it 3× “00 which by virtue of G. L. c. 140, §159, is trebled so the plaintiff shall recover $8,100.”

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