"If we can't have the dogs chained to the tree, what's the point of having them?"

ORIGINAL: sooner

And with a responsible owner, the kennel argument becomes invalid - since the dog would be out for frequent walks, socialization and playtime.

 
 
same thing with a chain or tie out

ORIGINAL: mehpenn

May I ask where you live? I am in piedmont NC, where it is not uncommon for foxs and wolves to get into kennels and fenced areas to kill dogs, chickens,goats, lambs, calves etc... it happens alot more than people realize, espcially in the country where I am. So that doesn't mean alot to me... sorry. To me, a dog has more of a chance fending off a wolf if it has 40-50 feet of chain than it does in a 10x10 kennel.
As for the kennel vs chain concerning taunting childern, the kids can get right up to the fence and taunt just like they can a dog on a chain. The difference being they seem to be more aware of how close they can get with a dog on a chain. Lots of kids don't realize a dog can still bite if they're close enough to the fence. My sister's daughter got bit through a fence.

 
 
SO VERY VERY TRUE!!!!!  kids are more aware of the dangers if they are able to see them clearly beside them.  With a fence, kids tend to think they are in no danger at all.
And same thing with the wolves and such....on a tie out, the dog stands a much better chance of  surviving simply because of the extra room that a kennel does not allow.

Ask a musher about stray dogs getting into a team that's tied out. []
Sofia is out for an hour a day with me standing right there. Stray dogs will kill a dog on a tie-out. It happens all the time. Then there is the moose question...and mean teenagers and and and....

Look, we are talking about people who tie their dogs up and leave them that way semi-permanently. That's horrible. The description of the dog so desperate for attention that he self-stimulates by yanking himself off his feet, well, that's incredibly sad. It also make me very angry.

I don't think any of us would be "busted" by this law.

Neglect is neglect whether the dog is in a pen, a kennel, on a chain, in the house, or a tiny cage. I think the folks who wrote this law are trying to get a foot in the door toward better care of animals. Don't you? It doesn't solve everything, but I think it's a step in the right direction. In New Mexico people who fight dogs are a terrible problem, and most of them are tied out on a short chain. I'd love to see this law down there.

I think leaving any dog chained, kenneled or otherwise confined outside for most of its life without much social interaction is a tragedy. I would consider that mistreatment of an animal. I'm sure there are people who do not have a fenced yard that use a tie out or kennel when their dogs have their "outside time", but as long as the dog doesn't live like that 24/7 then it may not be a bad thing. (However, personally I would never leave a tied out dog unattended, too much of a risk of getting strangled, IMO)

Then why are more people bitten by chained dogs than through fences?
 
If you think that your dog would be able to fend off a large, truely dog aggressive dog, or a pack of them, then you haven't witnessed true dog aggression.

My argument was that innocent peoplr, animal lovers who take good care of their cained or tied dogs are going to be punished and fined because of this law.  It's a law that is biased to EVERYONE who owns a dog that is kept chained or tied, regardless of the level of care the dog reiceves. To them a chained dog is a chained dog... no difference betwee the neglected and the cared for.. chained is chained. That's what the law says.

Yes mehpenn...I do have a lab.  He has lived a very rough life, and is now very happy and healthy...living his life on a runner for about 20 hours a day....with shade, food, water, friends, and a loving family.  What a big difference from the dog that was never tied...hurt, lonely, and unloved.

ORIGINAL: angl012778

I respect your opinion, Sooner, but, in my experience, there is more damage done with dogs being left in a hot, unshaded kennel, with no food, or water, and absolutly no possible way to even attempt to get food or water or shade.

This type of situation also occurs with chained out dogs; and the type of owners that allow it to happen are not the responsible ones - they the ones that allow things like the collar becoming embedded in the skin. []

The law wasn't written to punish responsible owners, I think that is evident in the wording (what little of it we have), but is written for the good of the animal.

If a dog MUST be outside 24/7 (which I do not agree with) and the chained dog and the kenneled dog receive the same necessary socialization and exercise, IMO the kennel is the safer option for the dog.

ORIGINAL: sooner

HOLLY SPRINGS, N.C. --
 
 
The new law makes it illegal to leave pets chained up outside for a prolonged period of time or to transport pets in the back of pickup trucks unless they're safely secured.

Violators could face fines of up to $50 a day.

It doesn't say... unless there is evidence that the dog is being well cared for... or if there IS eveidence that the chained dog is suffering from neglect....
I don't see this law being enforced. There are too many good dog owners out there who keep their dogs chained or tied.

Angl.. sounds like he's a lucky boy! Good for you for taking him in. I also have a rescue, a GSD, that was one that a law like this WOULD have protected. Unfortunately, to protect the ones who need it means countless others who don't break the law a neglect o r abuse their dogs will have to suffer now, and pay a hefty price potentially.

While I do not think that dogs should not be tied out and neglected, there is a difference between the two.

Let me throw a wrench in the works and elicit more comments. Large sled dog kennels must manage sometimes 80 dogs. Often, and even traditionally, they are tied out on stakes. But they are far from neglected. The get vetted every chance with bloodwork, etc. They have the best food designed specifically for them, food you can't even find at the places that sell Innova, etc. Not to mention homecooked and raw recipes supervised by their vets. They are worked every day. Nothing excites a husky like 0 F and the jingle of the gangline. As a breed, they are comfortable outside and the tie-out is for their safety, as they will run off. One of the volunteers at the Sherman Animal Center is from Alaska and used to work at such a kennel, so I get my info first hand, not just from reading about it. They actually have more room on the tie-out than they would in kennels right next to each other. They can poop on the other side of their circle and rest where they have not pooped. They also have time in the dog runs where they can run at top speed unloaded. Such as it is, it is a different lifestyle than most of us are accustomed to. But then, the husky is different from a lot of breeds. No, I don't keep Shadow tied out, other than the few instances I've mentioned and the longest time at a friend's house with no fence is about 3 hours. At the in-laws, it's a whopping ten minutes, while I load or unload. The in-laws is a 4 hour trip. When we stop for a bathroom break, Shadow gets a short walk, as well.

Here in town, a chocolate lab easily cleared his fence and was wandering about town and wasn't friendly to the police that were trying to help him. The owner then had him on a tie out. Their other dog was in a kennel. Now, both dogs are gone, they took down the Labrador Retriever flag and now have a Cocker Spaniel, who doesn't have to be tied out.

I think the ordinance is aimed at people who simply neglect their pets but the determination of how long is too long could be applied unfairly and I think that is a source of contention here.

I actually see a law like this curbing BSL, as it is making something that is know to contribute to aggressive behavior in dogs illegal.

Not all dogs who are tied out are aggressive.. that's another unfair statement.

But there is quite a bit of evidence to suggest that tying out contributes to it.
 
I can't speak for other breeds, but if someone who gets a pit wants to just tie it out all the time (OR let them run loose, or leave them in a kennel all the time with no interaction), I don't WANT them to have a pit.  Our breed is embattled enough as it is, and we have to be EXTRA careful with the care of our dogs.  Sally is tied IF I'm on the porch with her.  If I go in, for any reason, she comes in too.

ORIGINAL: mehpenn

Not all dogs who are tied out are aggressive.. that's another unfair statement.

Actually her statement was very fair, since she said that it is known to contribute to aggressive behavior - which it is.

"Tethering dogs outside for long periods leads to substantial behavioral and health problems, in addition to subjecting the dogs to suffering and psychological damage."http://www.paw-rescue.org/PAW/PETTIPS/DogTip_Chaining.php

"virtually every dog who spends a significant amount of time tethered will suffer some temperament problems. "http://www.helpinganimals.com/ga_chained_why.asp

"Leaving a dog on a chain and ignoring him is how to raise an aggressive dog. Aggressive dogs can't distinguish between a threat and a family friend, because they are not used to people."http://www.unchainyourdog.org/GuardDog.htm