Dog Owners Push Beacon Hill To Support Legislation To Regulate Kennels, Pet Day Cares After 2020 Mauling

BOSTON (CBS) - Pups and people rallied on the State House steps Thursday morning in support of legislation aimed at regulating kennels and doggy day cares in Massachusetts.

It's something Amy Baxter has been fighting for since her labradoodle Ollie was killed in 2020.

"We think about him every day and we miss him," she told reporters at the rally.

Seven-month-old Ollie was mauled by a pack of dogs at a doggy day care. After $25,000 in veterinarian bills and two months of surgeries, Ollie passed away.

Thursday would have been his second birthday.

"I knew that I couldn't live with myself if I didn't do everything I possibly could to make sure that this didn't happen to another dog," Baxter said.

That's why she created Ollie's Law, to create rules and regulations for the industry.

The bill was backed by Representative Brian Ashe of Longmeadow, the Animal Rescue League of Boston and the MSPCA, but it did not go through. The animal advocates aren't giving up the fight and are now throwing their support behind similar bills.

"They all have the main concept about regulating and putting regulations forward to protect dogs," Ashe said.

Kennel owner Jeni Mather says there needs to be rules for her industry to make sure people's pets are safe.

"You need to have regulation. You should have emergency protocols. You should have insurance," she said.

Baxter had strong words for lawmakers urging them to get something done soon.

"These bills have been around 5 or 6 sessions so as the maulings continue, and they will, now the State House is just as much to blame as the kennel owners," she said.

Advocates are hopeful one of the other bills regulating doggy day cares goes through and if they don't they will try to bring Ollie's Law up again.