Gov. Healey signs Ollie's Law for pet safety in kennels

BOSTON (NEWS10) -- Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey and Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll ceremonially signed an act, Ollie's Law, to increase kennel safety in the state on Thursday with state legislators and animal advocates. This law updates the licensure and regulation of kennels and other pet boarding facilities to keep animals safer in their care.

Ollie's Law was named after a seven-month-old labradoodle who was attacked by another animal while at a dog daycare facility. Ollie was seriously wounded in the attack, needing around-the-clock care and surgery while remaining in the hospital before passing away two months later.

Before this law, the state had no oversight of animal daycare and boarding facilities. Now, Ollie's Law requires all kennels to be licensed and all dogs to be individually licensed with municipalities having a mandatory dog-to-staff ratio.