Massachusetts has several state animals. Most notable among them are the state dog, the Boston terrier; the state cat, the tabby; the state horse, the Morgan horse; and the state marine mammal, the right whale. These symbols were recognized by the state legislature in 1979, 1988, 1970 and 1980 respectively.
State animals and other symbols are outlined in Chapter 2 of the General Laws of Massachusetts. This document designates over 60 state symbols for the state of Massachusetts. The earliest animal symbol to be adopted was the Morgan horse in 1970, while the most recent as of 2014 was the garter snake, adopted in 2008.
