City Bans Dog Chaining

(Update: The City Council approved the ban on dog chaining at their meeting on June 24 in a second and final reading. The ordinance goes into effect on December 24.)

Keeping a dog chained to a stake in a yard all day will no longer be allowed in Georgetown. The City Council approved the new rule at their regular meeting [on June 10]. The ordinance banning dog tethering was approved on first reading and will go into effect on December 24, if approved on second reading later this month.

The effective date provides a six-month time period for dog owners to learn about the ordinance and to build fencing in order to comply with it.

Austin approved an anti-chaining ordinance in October. Other Texas cities that have enacted dog chaining bans include Bastrop, Big Spring, Electra, Fort Worth, and Irving.

The Georgetown ban applies not only to dogs tied by a chain or other tether, but also to trolley restraints. A trolley is a dog tether connected by a pulley to an overhead wire, such as a clothesline. A trolley can allow for more movement that a simple chain, however, a trolley does not reduce risks of entanglement, and also can make it difficult to judge the range of a dog’s territory for a person entering a yard.

The new rule requires dogs kept in a yard to be unrestrained by a chain or tether and to have a pen at least 150 square-feet in size. “A 10-foot by 15-foot area is still pretty small, so we would hope that dogs have more room that this,” says Ken Finn, animal services manager for the City. The 150-square-foot size for a dog run should be seen as an absolute minimum, says Finn.

The new rule does allow for the use of leashes and of temporary restraints, as long as the dog’s owner remains with the dog.

One of the primary reasons to prohibit dog chaining is that chained dogs are more likely to hurt people. The American Veterinary Medical Association recognized this risk in a 2003 statement: “Never tether or chain your dog because this can contribute to aggressive behavior.”

According to the Humane Society of the U.S., “Dogs tethered for long periods can become highly aggressive. Dogs feel naturally protective of their territory; when confronted with a perceived threat, they respond according to their fight-or-flight instinct. A chained dog, unable to take flight, often feels forced to fight, attacking any unfamiliar animal or person who unwittingly wanders into his or her territory.”

Organizations that have taken positions against dog chaining include the American Humane Society, the Humane Society of the U.S., the American Veterinary Medical Association, American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

A chain also can prevent a dog from reaching shade or water, and can lead to serious neck injuries. A dog on a chain that becomes entangled can get pinned to the ground, a situation that Finn has seen before. “It is heart-breaking.”

The ordinance also prohibits wrapping a chain or tether around a dog’s neck, or using a chain or tether that weighs more than five percent of the dog’s body weight. A properly-fitting harness or collar must be used.

Information about dog tethering and its alternatives can be found on the Humane Society website at www.hsus.org. Other resources include dogsdeservebetter.org and unchainyourdog.org.

For details, contact Georgetown Animal Services at (512) 930-3592 or via email at animalsvc@georgetowntx.org.