Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Animal Control topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Haverhill sets kennel-license fees under state law; residential license $150, commercial $200
Summary
The council approved an order to add kennel-license fees to the municipal fee schedule in response to state legislative changes ('Ollie's law'); the city clerk said the fee structure establishes $150 for residential kennels (4–9 dogs), $200 for commercial kennels (10+ dogs), and a $50 late renewal fee after May 31.
The Haverhill City Council approved an order to add kennel-license fees to the city fee schedule following changes enacted by the state legislature commonly referred to in the meeting as “Ollie's law.”
City Clerk Caitlin Em Wright told councilors the state law restructured kennel licensing and required municipalities to adopt implementing rules. Wright said the ordinance before the council established a fee structure that the council must add to the city’s fee schedule: $150 for a residential kennel license (defined in the council discussion as 4 to 9 dogs) and $200 for a commercial kennel license (10 or more dogs). Wright also said renewal applications submitted after May 31 of a calendar year will incur a $50 late fee; the kennel-license period will be coordinated with the annual dog licensing period (March 1–May 31).
Wright told the council she reviewed neighboring communities’ fee structures and modeled Haverhill’s fees on a comparable city ordinance (she cited Reeding/Redding ordinance as an example). She said there appear to be two currently operating kennels in Haverhill that will be affected by the new licensing process.
Councilors voted to approve the order by roll call (11 yeas, 0 nays).
