Granby Planning Board Sets Rules for Who Must Get Board Approval Before Keeping Paid Dog Boarders

GRANBY — March 23, 2026 — Granby Planning Board clarifies that residents boarding dogs for pay must seek special permit approval before receiving a kennel license. Animal Control Officer Kim Goldsmith appeared before the board Monday to request guidance on applying Ollie's Law, a 2025 Massachusetts statute requiring a kennel license for any person keeping more than four dogs, regardless of whether they run a commercial operation. The board reached a working consensus that residents keeping only their own dogs — even in large numbers, like a household found to have 17 — do not need planning board approval, but anyone operating for pay through services such as Rover or running a daycare, training, or boarding operation must first obtain a special permit and site plan approval. Kennel licenses issued last year expired March 31. The board also discussed reducing the standard $400 small-project special-permit fee to $100 plus actual advertising and mailing costs for these types of residential kennel cases, noting that Ollie's Law carries a $500 penalty for unlicensed operation — making compliance cheaper than a violation even under current fees.