Ollie’s Law Will Set a New Standard for Kennel Safety - National Humane Education Society
December 7th, 2024
Paws Up! To Massachusetts Governor Healey for signing Ollie’s Law to establish safety regulations for dog kennels and dog daycares
The greatest concern for any family who entrusts their companion animal into the care of a boarding kennel, or “doggy day care”, is that their furry friend be safe and treated well while away from home. Would it amaze you to know that there is no required federal license for dog boarding businesses? This industry lacks government oversight in many parts of the country, just like a majority of the other flourishing industries related to companion animals. Fortunately, Massachusetts has responded to this deficit by passing Ollie’s Law, an act to set safety standards for all animal boarding facilities in the state.
Our organization previously covered the proposal of Ollie’s Law in 2021, and the story of the dog that gave this important bill its name. Animal advocate Amy Baxter has been the driving force behind Ollie’s Law following the heartbreaking loss of her seven-month-old labradoodle, Ollie, after he was attacked by another dog at an unlicensed dog daycare center. State rep. Brian Ashe and Senator Montigny stood beside Baxter in support and co-sponsored this legislation. In the official press release from the Massachusetts government, Baxter stated “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”.
What regulations does Ollie’s Law put into place? The new law requires all boarding kennel businesses to acquire a license from a government licensing authority and be subject to safety inspections by animal control. A department of the state will determine rulings on requirements for safe staff to animal ratios, safe animal group sizes, best practice training on animal topics for staff, emergency planning, insurance, injury reporting, and proper animal care and housing. In addition, each individual dog will need to be individually licensed in order to legally visit a boarding kennel.
As animal advocates, it is our responsibility to keep our animals healthy, happy, and above all, safe from harm. It is the hope of Massachusetts legislators that with these new legal standards, the boarding kennel environment will be a safer place for loving dogs loyally waiting for their family’s return like Ollie was. As shared by Senate President Karen Spilka during the press release, “Our pets are always there for us when we need them. With the Governor’s signature, we are ensuring that we are there for them”.
Take Action: Contact Governor Healey to Thank Her for Signing Ollie’s Law!
