Planning board grants special permit for dog daycare and overnight boarding at 29 Messina Ave

The Planning Board voted Oct. 14 to grant a special permit and site plan approval for a dog daycare and overnight boarding facility at 29 Messina Ave under draft conditions discussed at the hearing.

Applicant representatives presented facility plans showing about 6,200 sq ft of indoor space and approximately 2,800 sq ft of outdoor play area divided into three yards by temperament/size. The applicant said kennels include stackable units and larger single kennels; while vendor drawings showed a total kennel capacity in the mid‑40s, the draft decision limited overnight boarding to 30 dogs. The applicant described staffing and operations: the daytime schedule was given as “06:30AM to 07:30PM, and then the overnight starts from there.”

Staff noted an industry standard staffing ratio of 1 staff member per 15 dogs, which the applicant confirmed would apply overnight as well. Board members recommended starting conservatively on overnight capacity and discussed whether the town should consider an annual licensing/inspection fee to help offset inspection workload; staff said licensing fees exist in comparable towns and would likely be administered by the licensing or board of health.

Several residents spoke in favor of the facility, citing local need; others asked about dog size/temperament policies and outdoor supervision. The board closed the public hearing and voted to grant the special permit and site plan review subject to the draft conditions discussed at the meeting.