Cleveland may soon be following the lead of Hillsborough County, Florida where a ban on tethering dogs 24/7 was recently imposed.
Councilmen Terrell Pruitt and Matt Zone have introduced an ordinance that would impose restrictions on chaining a dog out in Cleveland. The bill would prohibit tethering animals between 10 pm and 6 am, and for longer than three hours in a day. Ropes or chains would have to be at least twenty feet long.
Councilman Zone of the fifteenth ward has been a dog lover all of his life. He said "This is not anti-tethering legislation. People will still be able to tie out their dogs. The ordinance is meant to make their time on a chain more humane by establishing guidelines. We get dozens of nuisance barking calls every week. When animal control goes out, they often find dogs without shelter, food or water. Dogs on short chains. The ordinance will help animal control make decisions about situations when they are called out."
The ordinance would make it illegal to tether a dog outside when heat, cold or severe weather warnings are in effect. Choke collars, prong collars and ill-fitting collars would not be allowed. Animals would also have to have access to shade, dry shelters and tip-proof water containers. It would also restrict the weight of the tether, outlawing heavy tow chains. Violators would be charged with animal neglect. If an animal were to die as a result of improper tethering, it would carry a 5th degree felony charge.
Anti-tethering ordinances are a public safety issue for both people and dogs. Continually chained dogs are more likely to be aggressive and to become nuisance barkers. Chained dogs are responsible for most of the dog bites in any given year, because they do not receive the proper socialization and are often fearful and territorial. Additionally, hundreds of dogs each year in this country die of starvation on the end of a chain, where they are forgotten, and sometimes abandoned.
Zone said that the ordinance will be up for a vote in March, after City Council slogs through their February budget meetings.
National non-profit advocacy group, Dogs Deserve Better, is an organization that devotes all of their resources to rescuing and rehabilitating chained dogs, educating the public, and giving people the resources to draft ordinances like the one up for consideration in Cleveland.
This time of year is especially busy for the group, as they prepare to carry out their annual valentine campaign. DDB asks that if you know of a dog in the greater Cleveland area that lives life on the end of a chain, to report the address where the dog is kept. You can remain completely anonymous. DDB will mail the residents of the home a valentine from their dog; reaching out for understanding and more humane treatment. The group includes a brochure for the dog’s caretakers, encouraging them to bring their dogs into the home and family or to release the dogs to loving inside homes and families. They also like to include treat coupons with the valentines.
DDB is asking elementary school students, clubs and individuals to create valentines for their campaign, which will be mailed to homes all across the country. You can see some examples on their website. The goal is to mail 18,000 valentines this year to the caretakers of chained, neglected or penned dogs. There are multiple ways that you can help them make a difference.
Mail treat and food coupons (no expiration date), homemade valentines, or postage by February 5 to: Dogs Deserve Better - 1915 Moonlight Rd., Smithfield, VA 23430.
Report addresses of chained, penned or neglected dogs by:
- Calling 757-357-9292 to report addresses
- E-mailing addresses to info@dogsdeservebetter.org. - or
- Fill out the form on their website (preferred)
Report animal neglect by calling the Cleveland APL at 216-377-1630. APL humane officers seized 200 dogs last year from irresponsible owners.
Call Cleveland City Council members and tell them that you support the anti-tethering ordinance. You can reach council members by calling 216-664-2840.
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