By Bob Katzen

The Committee on Revenue held a hearing on a bill that would give a tax credit to taxpayers who adopt a dog or cat from a shelter. The credit ranges from $100 to $400 depending on the age and health of the animal. The credit is given over three years and is capped at $500 per year per household.

The bill also establishes the Adopt a Shelter Pet Fund from which to provide the tax credits and also permits the Registrar of Motor Vehicles to expand distinctive registration plates to include a design indicating support for adoption of animals from shelters and include the phrase “I’m Animal Friendly.” Part of the fee would be deposited into the Adopt a Shelter Pet Fund.

“Dogs and cats, more often than not, are beginning to call shelters their home,” said the bill’s sponsor Rep. David Muradian (R-Grafton). “This tax credit will not only promote the adoption of pets through rescue organizations, but also provide reimbursements to the commonwealth as well. I am confident that this language will also spark a change throughout the entire country, as passing a bill of this kind would be a first for the nation.”