Dear Herd Hosts:

I'm very sad. A dog that lives next door is tied up to a tree all day and night, 24/7. He must be very lonely. How can I help him? --

Signed, Kompassionate Kitty

Dear Kompassionate Kitty:

Keeping dogs chained is sad indeed. You can help by contacting your local animal control agency right away and reporting the situation. You can also visit this great Web site for some helpful educational materials.

-- Love and kisses, all of us at The Herd

Hi Hokie,

You can also refer them to this site. They have educational materials and hang tags for doors to help educate people. Lots to read here.
http://dogsdeservebetter.com/home.html

Newt

Great news for dogs in California - it is now illegal to chain dogs for more than three hours a day! Read more in this LA Times article:

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-092706dogs,1,2730448.story

State Law Limiting Dog Chaining Modeled on L.A. Ordinance

By Nancy Vogel, Times Staff Writer
12:48 PM PDT, September 27, 2006

SACRAMENTO -- Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed a bill today outlawing the chaining of dogs for more than three hours a day, saying the new law will help prevent dog attacks.

Animal rights groups sponsored the bill, arguing that chained dogs often don't get adequate food, water or medical attention and are more likely to bite people because they are not socialized and cannot flee perceived threats.

The governor's signature makes California the second state, after Connecticut, to limit dog tethering. The new law is modeled after a city of Los Angeles ordinance.

"This bill helps protect dogs from cruelty," said Schwarzenegger in a statement, "and enhances public safety by preventing aggressive animal behavior that can result from inhumane tethering."

The governor, the owner of two dogs, signed the bill despite the opposition of policy advisors who called it unnecessary.

The legislation, SB 1578 by Sen. Alan Lowenthal (D-Long Beach), takes effect in January. It makes it a misdemeanor — punishable by a fine of $1,000 or six months in jail — to tie, chain or tether a dog for more than three hours a day. The law makes exceptions for dogs tied to running lines and pulley systems, used for hunting or herding sheep or cattle and those staying in campgrounds.

Roughly 80 cities or counties in the U.S. have passed similar ordinances, including Los Angeles.

The Los Angeles ordinance is more strict than the new state law. It allows no exception for running lines or pulley systems, said Ed Boks, general manager of the city's Department of Animal Services.

"We have found in Los Angeles that dogs are three times more likely to be involved in a biting situation if they are tethered," he said.

Roughly half of all children are bitten by dogs by the age of 12, said Boks.

"This is a real tool for animal care and control officers," he said. "It's a real tool, too, in helping people understand the value of their own pets. A tethered pet typically doesn't get the love and attention of a household pet."

Pam Runquist, a spokeswoman for California Animal Assn., the coalition of 15 animal rights groups that sponsored the bill, said she understood that some families might not be able to afford a fence so an exception was made for dogs on a running line or pulley system.

Such methods of confinement are not ideal, she said, but allow a dog more movement than chaining.

"This is really a precedent-setting measure, in that we are banning [tethering] for other than short periods of times and demonstrating that California really cares about the treatment of our dogs," said Runquist.

Also today, the governor signed a bill that gives California National Guard members returning from Iraq and Afghanistan a leg up on getting state jobs. AB 2550 by Assemblyman Sam Blakeslee (R-San Luis Obispo) gives National Guard members or their surviving spouses additional preference points when applying for state civil service jobs.

In my suttel little way lol I must add that although good we must go further in educating the citizens in proper and responsible animal care.
This same dog that was tied to the tree will be the same dog that lives his life now in a 4'x8' kennel.
We have just moved the problem into a kennel setting and I sure don't know the answere to this one.

Curt, the idea is to educate people about what the needs of dogs are and to properly educate them so dogs don't live their lives tied on a chain or in a tiny kennel and they become part of a family. For many people the solution is to not own a dog. Of course spaying and nutering all dogs and cats will also help the overpopulation.

Newt

Indeed we need to educate people about being responsible pet owners! The bill that passed in California is a good step in that direction. Ten or twenty years ago, it was "acceptable" to keep the family dog chained in the backyard. Now, research and the efforts of animal advocates are showing that this is no longer acceptable - both in terms of public safety and animal welfare.

Read about how one community in California is using the new law to educate residents about responsible pet ownership:

http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/archive/2007/January/1.../stories/05local.htm

County cracks down on dog abusers; 15 warned for unlawful chaining

By Zoe Blumenfeld
Sentinel correspondent

Less than two weeks after a new law banning the chaining of dogs took effect, 15 people in Santa Cruz County have been issued warnings and one Watsonville man may face misdemeanor charges for animal neglect and abuse.

"Chaining dogs has been an extreme problem here," said Todd Stosuy, supervising field manager for Santa Cruz County Animal Services Authority. Stosuy is among five animal control officers patrolling for infractions 7 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. seven days a week.

"Dogs are pack animals and when they are chained up, away from people, they suffer both emotionally and physically," he added.

The new law, SB 1578, was signed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger in September and went into effect Jan. 1. It prohibits tethering, fastening, chaining or tying a dog to a stationary object for longer than three hours, with some exemptions for safety reasons. The law provides for penalties of up to $1,000 and six months in jail.

"This new law is very proactive to ending the suffering of animals," Stosuy said.

The Animal Services Authority gets an average of three calls a day from neighbors, police officers, Postal Service employees and concerned residents reporting tethered dogs, Stosuy said.

Stosuy said the biggest problems are in the San Lorenzo Valley and Watsonville.

In this past year, the Animal Services Authority issued 772 tickets countywide for various animal abuse infractions, and other violations of local and state ordinances related to animals. In addition to issuing tickets, the Animal Services Authority took 169 dogs into protective custody and 396 dogs were surrendered by their owners in 2005, the latest year figures were available.

Nancy Eaton, manager of the Santa Cruz SPCA, said dogs that are chained up for long periods develop dangerous antisocial behavior. Dogs who spend most of their time on the end of a chain become violent and are more likely to bite, said Eaton. They also become so bored they tend to chew their fur and eat unhealthy objects.

"Hopefully this new law will reach the eyes and ears of all those people who continue to abuse their dogs by tying them up all day long," said Eaton. "Imagine what it would be like to tie up a child for hours at a time"

A dog in Watsonville was taken into protective custody at the beginning of the month after the Animal Services Authority received a concerned phone call from Watsonville police. The dog's choke collar was embedded in his neck due to months of chaining it in the yard, according to the Animal Services Authority. The animal was beyond medical help when it was taken from its owner and was euthanized Monday.

The case will be forwarded to the District Attorney's Office, Stosuy said.

When Stosuy and other animal services officers cite owners for breaking the new law, they suggest owners buy a pulley or trolley system. Dog owners can hang this trolley system like they would a clothesline and dogs are attached to the line with a harness. These systems are sold at most pet supply stores for about $20.

"While the trolley isn't the best alternative, it is still better than chaining a dog," Stosuy said.

Animal control officers ask people who want to report a dog chained or tethered in an unlawful manner to call 454-7303, Ext. 2.

I agree with all the responses but I feel we need to get into the schools and get a mind set in the kids as to the proper way to care for an animal. To sum it up "Start from the bottom".
The dog with his chain embeded had more going on with it then just the chain issue. This owner was guilty of neglect and abuse way before that issue but it was the point that braught it to light.
It will be interesting to see what the Courts do on these cases in different parts of the country. Animals have not been on the top of the list for convictions that amount to a hill of beans. I have been lucky in the County I work that the price has been high but in the County I live in it is just the opposit with a slap on the wrist.

Thanks for the response and always glad to jump in and get thred rolling lol

I also agree with many of your comments, however, the penalties and punishments that are given out are a total farse. Until such time comes that folks are severly punished, then these things will continue to happen. I also agree that by starting at the bottom, in about 5, 10, or maybe even 20 years, the young ones will have that different mind set to realize that these things are really wrong. In many homes it has been the custom that a dog should be chained in the yard and only kept as a tool for watching the home like an outside burglar alarm. Make these "criminals" pay deeply and maybe the word will spread that they should think twice about what they are about to do.