Our biggest problem while trying to create a Dog Tethering Law, has been the amount of misinformation surrounding this law. Here are the answers to a few frequently asked questions.

Why are you trying to punish good dog owners? This law is about stopping the neglect that comes with 24 dog tethering, and educating people about the proper care of their dogs. This law will not affect the average dog owner, and people who do the right thing on an every day basis.

So are you saying my dog can’t be outside? This is not an outdoor ban. We have a problem with chaining dogs long term. Dog owners can buy a fence or outdoor kennel, or just tether their dog for a reasonable amount of time. Just don’t make your dog a yard ornament and chain it 24/7.

I have never heard of a “dog tethering law”. What is it? Dog tethering laws exist all over the United States, and have existed in some places for 20 years. 23 states have statewide laws, while 320+ major cities and counties all over the United States have dog tethering laws in place. Laws like these are made to stop the long-term tethering of dogs that leads to neglect, as well as tethering in extreme weather. Dog tethering laws are in place to educate the owner and improve the life of neglected dogs.

Why don’t you just wait for New York State to create a law? Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, Pennsylvania, and Vermont all have statewide dog tethering laws. The New York State Assembly has been trying to update its current dog laws for 7-years now. In all honesty the law they are trying to create is far more strict than what we are proposing. It could take many years for New York State’s dog tethering law to pass. We don’t want to wait that long, especially when local laws are very easy to create and pass.

I have hunting dogs but they can’t go inside, therefore I am against a dog tethering law. Some dog owners in Clinton County have hunting breeds that they insist must be chained outside 24/7. First of all, research has shown that dogs will hunt better if they are treated like members of the family. Hunting dogs that are allowed inside will build a bond with the owner and will hunt better if they have a loyalty to the owner. Some hunters say the dog must be aclimated to the cold, which does make sense. If you have an issue and insist your hunting dogs must live outside, consider buying a kennel, or installing a fence. If you must have your dogs on a chain, talk to your town office about putting a “hunting dog exemption” in your law. A hunting dog exemption exempts hunting breeds with proof they are used for hunting purposes. I still do not agree that any dog should spend its life on a chain, however an exemption may be necessary in order to pass the law at a town’s level.

My Husky loves the cold! He never wants to come inside. It’s true that Huskies love the cold weather. But nobody can tell me a Husky wants to spend its entire life on a chain. Dogs by nature are pack animals and I have never met one that didn’t want to be with other dogs or people. Again this is not a ban on allowing your dog outside, this is about long-term chaining of dogs. Dog breeds and common sense should be considered when drafting and enforcing a law. Get a fence, get a kennel, supervise your dog, and simply make him part of the family. Like children who won’t get out of the pool… Eventually you as their parent need to say “okay you’ve had enough.” Bring your Husky inside for the night and make him a part of the family. Don’t leave him on a chain outside all day and night and use the excuse that he’s a Husky and he loves it!

Our town says they don’t have the manpower to enforce a dog tethering law. The current Ag & Market Law does not require animal control officers to patrol in order to enforce the current dog control laws. The same goes for adding changes to local laws. When it comes to a dog tethering law, if you see something then say something. But if we don’t create a local law against the 24/7 chaining of dogs, or chaining in extreme weather, there is no way to do anything when you see a dog in distress. Let’s say you live beside a neighbor who’s dog is chained up or confined to an outdoor kennel, and the dog cries constantly because its bitter cold outside. Without a law, you as their neighbor have to watch that dog suffer and nothing can be done as long as the dog does have shelter, food and water. You could be laying in bed warm listening to your neighbors dog suffer. A dog tethering law ends the suffering and gives you a way to help your neigbor’s dog when it is being neglected.