Either through personal experience or association with others, we all know how near and dear pets can be to their owners’ hearts.
To them, it’s a love that’s every bit as genuine as the affection given to a son or daughter.
And when tragedy strikes, the pain and suffering sustained can be just as devastating.
That this one particular unconscionable episode happened in an environment that should engender trust made it all the more difficult to accept.
That’s Amy Baxter’s story, an experience the Longmeadow resident will never forget, but one that hopefully will protect other pets from the fate that befell her 9-month-old labradoodle puppy, Ollie.
In 2020, Baxter received an alarming text from her care provider that Ollie had been badly hurt in a fight with another dog.
In and out of the hospital for two months after the incident, Ollie eventually succumbed to his injuries.
Seeking answers for how her pet suffered such a horrific mauling, Baxter received none from the facility that she entrusted with caring for Ollie.
She wasn’t about to let the silent treatment she received be the last word.
Far from it, what she realized, the result of nearly four years of activism that came to resonate on Beacon Hill, was the passage of “An Act to increase kennel safety,” popularly known as Ollie’s Law, signed by Gov. Maura Healey in October and enacted just a few days ago.
This legislation requires the Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR) to establish reasonable rules and regulations for the protection of all animals and workers at boarding kennels and day-care facilities.
“Ollie was a beautiful and innocent puppy whose life was tragically cut short due to the negligent actions of an unlicensed doggy day-care facility,” said Baxter. “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.”
Healey said she was inspired by the story.
“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 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.”
Specifically, the law requires:
• Licensure scheme for kennels, because Massachusetts previously had no state oversight of daycare and boarding facilities;
• All kennels to be licensed and all dogs to be individually licensed;
• Municipalities to establish a limit to the number of animals that can be housed by a kennel based on accommodations and available staff;
• 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 to ensure enforcement of the law.
According to Ollie’s 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.
“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 Ashley E. Randle. “Our administration is taking the lead in preventing senseless losses like this in the future.”
The companionship that pets of all species provide make protecting their lives from harm, especially at the hands of unscrupulous, unregulated kennel owners, a long-overdue action.
Unfortunately, like so many other laws named after a particular individual — or pet — a tragedy often serves as the catalyst for change.
But at least Ollie’s legacy will live on through this law.
