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Committee updates kennel ordinance to include invisible fences and requirements from Ollie’s Law
Summary
The Committee on Ordinances revised the city’s kennel licensing rules to add invisible fencing and the annual-inspection requirement established by the newly enacted Ollie’s Law.
The Committee on Ordinances and Enrolled Bills voted March 25 to approve a revised kennel-license ordinance that incorporates invisible fencing and brings the city’s rules into alignment with the recently enacted Ollie’s Law.
Attorney Bond, representing the law department, told the committee she revised the ordinance “consistent with the mass general laws in 1 fell swoop” and included the council’s prior changes to allow invisible fences in addition to physical fencing. The committee had previously voted in November 2024 to allow invisible fences; after Ollie’s Law took effect on Dec. 19, 2024, the law department updated the draft to add additional requirements from the state enactment.
Notable change: Ollie’s Law imposes a requirement that all kennels be inspected at least annually. The revised city ordinance adds that inspection requirement and retains the council’s earlier allowance for both physical and invisible fencing systems.
Why it matters: The changes reflect a state law that affects inspection frequency for kennels and codify the council’s earlier policy decision about invisible fencing. The committee approved the revised ordinance by voice vote; the law department will forward the finalized ordinance language for a formal first reading as appropriate.
No dissenting votes were recorded in the meeting transcript.
