Healey-Driscoll
Administration Confirms Advisory Committee to Begin Implementation of Ollie’s
Law to Improve Safety for Pets Staying at Boarding Kennels
BOSTON – Today, the Massachusetts
Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR) is announcing the members of the
Ollie’s Law Advisory Committee (“Committee”). The Committee will assist MDAR in
promulgating regulations for boarding and training kennels as required by
Ollie’s Law, an effort to improve the safety of animals housed in such
facilities which was signed in October 2024.
“With the full
complement of members in place for the advisory committee, I’m confident that
they will hit the ground running to make the necessary recommendations to
elevate the standards and improve the quality and safety of our pet boarding
facilities and daycares in Massachusetts,” said MDAR Commissioner
Ashley Randle. “As the agency responsible for domestic animal health and
safety in Massachusetts, we look forward to providing municipal officials with
the tools they need to make boarding and training kennels safer places for our
furry friends across the Commonwealth, giving owners peace of mind that their
pet will receive the best care and attention while boarded.”
In 2020, Ollie, a
seven-month-old Labradoodle was seriously wounded by another dog while staying
at a doggie daycare. Sadly, Ollie succumbed to his injuries two months later.
In the wake of this tragedy, his mom, Amy Baxter, became a fierce advocate for regulations
and oversight at pet boarding facilities, resulting in the passage of An Act of
Increase Kennel Safety AKA Ollie’s Law.
The members of the
advisory committee will help guide MDAR in establishing comprehensive
regulations that clarify the licensure requirements for boarding facilities,
and detail operational and safety standards that kennels must follow.
The first meeting of the
advisory committee will take place virtually on March 12, 2025 at 10AM. More
information about Ollie’s Law can be found at the following link. The following are the members of the
advisory committee:
Michael Cahill - Representative
from MDAR
Jeni Mather - Owner of a licensed
commercial boarding or training kennel with a kennel license with a capacity of
50 or more dogs in a kennel not located in a home
Louis Pacheco - Owner of a
licensed commercial boarding or training kennel with a kennel license with a
capacity of not more than 50 dogs
Kathy MacKenzie – Animal control
officer representing a municipality having fewer than 5 daycare facilities
Kevin Sullivan – Animal control
officer representing a municipality having 5 or more daycare facilities
Mark Hogan – Licensing
authority representative
Carmen Rustenbeck - Representative
of a kennel association or an organization representing kennels
Erin Doyle - Veterinarian or
member of a veterinary medical association organized in the commonwealth
Amy Baxter - Member of the
general public with an interest in the well-being of dogs
Noelle Wilson - Dog owner who
uses the services of a licensed commercial boarding or training kennel
Francine Coughlin - Animal
behaviorist certified by International Association of Animal Behavior
Consultants, Inc. or by a comparable certifying entity approved by the
department
Debra Cameron - Person with a
minimum of 5 years’ experience training people on dog behavior
Kara
Holmquist -
Representative from a shelter or rescue organization licensed by the department
