PETA urges Dayton to ban chaining animals outside

[Moloch]

DAYTON, Ohio — A national animal rights group is urging the city to ban or limit how long residents can keep their pets tied up outside.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals wrote Mayor Rhine McLin about the proposal after a dog was found dead in the backyard of a Dayton residence. Another dog rescued from the same property was found frozen to the ground but is recovering.

Two residents of the house, where 12 cats also were found dead inside, have pleaded innocent to charges of animal cruelty.

About 80 U.S. municipalities have either banned tethering or restricted the practice, according to PETA's Web site.

http://www.journal-news.com/news/content/gen/ap/OH_Chain_Law_Dogs.html

[xchrom]

1. cool with me.

[Lerkfish]

2. but in that case, cats died INSIDE as well...not sure the ordinance as

proposed would have made much difference in that case.
Seems the pets were neglected no matter where they were.

sadly.

[MercutioATC]

3. Exceptions for certain breeds, perhaps?

I had a Siberian Husky who stayed outside. She had a well-bedded doghouse, but she never slept in it. She loved sleeping in the snow.

(I DID bring her inside when the temps went into the teens, however)

My point is that not ALL animals are harmed by tethering.

[jilln]

4. Maybe people could get a fence?

You know, instead of keeping a living being within the same 8 feet their entire lives, with something pulling on their necks. Just a thought.

Maybe you took good care of your dog, but many people who tie them up don't, and in any case there's not much excuse for tying animals up their entire lives.

You see it says they want to ban or limit, limit would mean people without fences could still tie their dogs up for a few hours a day but dogs would not be forced to live on a chain for their entire lives, which should have been outlawed decades ago already in a civilized society.

[JudyM]

5. yes - I knew a couple who kept their dog on a short chain outside - ALL

THE TIME. It has sores, barked a lot, was obviously suffering from the situation. Animal cruelty is punished with a slap on the wrist when it is really a depraved act. Often, too, people who abuse animals are also abusive within their family, as I understand it.

[MercutioATC]

6. I agree with the intent of the law but I have problems with the mechanics.

My Husky was on a 50' tether. I took her off of the tether on a regular basis for walks and such. The issue was that she was happier outside on a 50' tether than she was cooped up in a small house. Yard training her wasn't successful...Huskies like to run and they're not very territorial.

She spent the majority of the day on her tether, but that was the best situation for her (essentially, it was the same running room as she would have had in a 1000 sq. ft. enclosure and I haven't seen many dog runs that large).

I agree with legislating against animal abuse and/or neglect, but painting ANY issue with this broad of a brush can be problematic.

[jilln]

7. I still think we have no right to tie animals up

I realize it's not always easy. I have a dog who can clear a 6 foot fence easily, so I had to put up 3 foot lattice all around the the top of the fence, and still on occasion he finds a way out. I have so much stuff blocking holes and keeping him from digging that my yard looks like a white trash fort.

But I would much rather do that than risk coming home to him strangled, or even worse, find that someone had come into the yard and abused him and he could not get away.

See, you took yours off the tether regularly. Most chained dogs never come off. You would probably fit in with the "limited" version of the law, so nothing to worry about.

[MercutioATC]

8. I sympathize with the jumping issue...

That was one of the factors involved in using the tether.

I used aircraft tie-downs (braided steel cable wrapped in plastic). She snapped three of them. Luckily, there was a guy about two miles away who raised Huskies...she always ran there to visit.

Ultimately, some breeds probably aren't meant for certain locations (a Husky in Ohio probably wasn't a good idea).

[jilln]

9. Wow! She must have been strong.

My dog's most amazing feat was figuring out which boards in the neighbor's fence were weak and popping them out (or chewing them out) to escape. I have replaced most of their fence, one board at a time!

[Kolesar]

10. I always thought dogs wanted to be close enough to sneak up..

...and put a cold wet nose in your armpit without warning. Isn't that their reason for being?

[realisticphish]

11. REAAAALLY missing the point

the point they should be looking at is NOT that the dog was chained outside. The issue is neglect.

Whether or not the dog was chained has no effect on the neglect; 12 cats dead inside? leaving a dog frozen to the ground? neither of these have to do with chains. they have to do with extreme neglegence and cruelty, which should be addressed first and foremost through strengthening animal cruelty laws, not limiting chain time

[seriousstan]

12. PETA being clueless??? Say it isn't so!

[Kolesar]

13. that's not what he said

realisticphish

[Earl from Ohio]

14. In our county

IF I understand the regulations correctly...

Any dog that is "confined' outside (chain or fence) must be provided with an "adequate" doghouse. (define "adequate?")

Which we have dutifully provided for our Lab.


Which she steadfastly ignores....

(But she's never out for very long.)




Off topic: a plug to all of the "doggie people"

If you are a puppy person and want to tackle a WONDERFUL challenge, try raising a pup for Canine Companions for Independence. They have a regional office in Delaware (Ohio) and it's a GREAT program-- very professional. http://www.caninecompanions.org/

These are assistance dogs that work in a soft harness and a lead (not what people call "seeing eye" guide dogs.) They are gorgeous dogs (Labs and Golden Retrievers) and the program gives you a LOT of support. However, their standards are high -- only about 50% of puppies make it through the program. The puppy raisers get first dibs on dogs that don't make it (and they are still INCREDIBLE dogs.)

Although giving up a puppy that you've raised for a year is tough, the rewards of helping another person in such an intense way are priceless. ("Graduation" ceremonies are a five hanky job!)

If you think you could devote the time and energy to such a special project, please consider it.

(Sorry for going off topic)

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