Massachusetts law takes effect aimed at keeping animals safe

Boston — An Act to increase kennel safety in Massachusetts AKA Ollie’s Law went into effect on Thursday. This legislation updates licensure and regulation of kennels and other pet boarding facilities to keep animals in their care safe.

The law was inspired by the story of Ollie and his mom Amy Baxter. In 2020, Amy received the horrifying news that her beloved seven-month-old Labradoodle, Ollie, had been injured in a dog fight while staying at a doggy daycare. He was seriously wounded, required around-the-clock care and surgery and had to remain in the hospital. Tragically, Ollie succumbed to his injuries and passed away two months later.

“No pet owner wants to receive the call that their beloved pet has been injured while staying at a kennel. Ollie’s death was preventable – and I’m inspired by the perseverance of Amy Baxter and other pet owners who have taken a stand to prevent this from happening to more pets,” said Governor Healey. “Here in Massachusetts, we pride ourselves on being a leader in animal protection, but we had been falling behind when it comes to kennel oversight. I’m proud to have signed this bill into law to improve regulation and licensure requirements at boarding and daycare facilities to keep our furry friends safe.”

“For far too long, Massachusetts lacked oversight of our animal daycare facilities, and our pets paid the cost for that inaction,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “Now, pet facilities across Massachusetts will begin adhering to a higher standard to make sure our pets are properly cared for and come home happy and healthy to their families.”

“Ollie was a beautiful and innocent puppy whose life was tragically cut short due to the negligent actions of an unlicensed doggy daycare facility, said, Amy Baxter, owner of Ollie. “Ollie’s Law is the culmination of nearly four years of work to craft meaningful and impactful regulation of the kennel industry so that no animal, and no family, ever have to suffer like Ollie and our family did after this devastating and preventable tragedy. As we approach the fourth anniversary of his death, my daughter and I continue to mourn Ollie. Nothing will mitigate the pain and suffering he endured, but with this law, Ollie will leave a legacy of healing by helping and protecting other animals.”

“From a heartbreaking tragedy, we’ve learned a valuable lesson about the importance of ensuring the safety of our beloved pets in animal daycare facilities,” said MDAR Commissioner Randle. “Our administration is taking the lead in preventing senseless losses like this in the future. By strengthening the licensure and regulation of kennels, we can provide peace of mind to pet owners, that they will reunite with their furry friends.”  

The law seeks to improve animal safety across the state by updating the licensure scheme for kennels, as Massachusetts previously had no state oversight of daycare and boarding facilities. It requires all kennels to be licensed and all dogs to be individually licensed. It also requires municipalities to establish a limit to the number of animals that can be housed by a kennel based on accommodations and available staff.

The law also requires cities and towns to issue every type of kennel license defined in current law and require all kennels to obtain a license to operate. Municipalities will be tasked with ensuring enforcement of the law. Boarding and training kennels will have to report to municipal licensing authorities all injuries to people or animals. MDAR, which was involved in the drafting of this legislation, will be required to adopt detailed operational and safety regulations with assistance from an advisory committee.