What is your opinion of the California dog tether law, and the law about dogs being in cars?
The way I understand it, the tether law prohibits any dog from being tethered for more than 4 or 5 hours at any time. This seems unreasonable to me for two reasons. First, if someone is at work, then they are unable to leave their dog outside during the day, where it can go if it needs to. Second, there are people who have tethers on their dogs that are 15 feet long or so, adequate shelter, food and water. This seems better to me than having a dog locked up in a 4′x8′ kennel. Not allowing tethers at all doesn’t seem like it would solve the problem of irresponsible people who are still going to tether their dogs and not provide for them.
About the cars, I understand that people are not allowed to leave dogs in a car if it is either too hot or too cold. Too hot, I completely understand. But who determines what is too cold? My dogs are used to cold weather, and are better off in a sheltered car than out in the cold that they are completely used to. (I have high energy dogs).
As I pointed out, I am refering to people who tether their dogs outside, for example, while they are at work and then bring them inside when they get home. While I do understand what you are saying about the restraint without visual signs of it, the fact is it still allows a dog much more room to move around than being in a kennel. Some people are at work too long to leave their dogs inside. Obviously, a big yard in the country is ideal, but how many people in California have THAT luxury?
I have not spent much time in California, but I have never seen any weather that is cold enough to freeze a dog. I am from Nebraska, and it is rarely cold enough even here to freeze a dog that is used to cold weather.
I guess it all boils down to the fact that more and more restrictions seem to be placed on pet owners. The respnsible owners that are following the laws are not the problem. It is the ones that didn’t follow the laws before and aren’t going to now.
Tagged with: adequate shelter • cars • cold weather • energy dogs • high energy • nebraska • pet owners • tethers • time in california • visual signs • x8
Filed under: Weather
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California is pretty much completely lost to the animal ‘rights’ groups. It spreads unfortunately. The same kind of stupid crap is/has been passed in Louisville, Albuquerque, and now maybe Mn.
I watched a animal cops show from SF some time back, I usually avoid it because those people are lunatics. But they were freaking out about a dog in a car. The dog was perfectly happy, and AC was wearing jackets so it wasn’t hot, and they were freaking!
The animal ‘rights’ groups need to be STOPPED, as do the ridiculous laws!!! If you care to join the fight, join the yahoo group petlaw, it is eye-opening when you realize the constant onslaught of anti-dog laws!
the laws are made for what they consider safe for the dog, and they may had problems with this law but still they may think it is best, so one must do what the law says or pay the fines.
Listen…..male dogs will Always move their bowels where and when they want . These lawmakers have too much time on their hands and are over-paid …..the whole lot of them should be shipped over to IRAN .
Tethering your dog is very cruel. It makes them frustrated to see no barrier, but cannot move further then the line allows them. It is just wrong and shouldn’t be done on a daily basis.
I completely agree with the tether law. No dog should be chained/tethered outside for more than a couple hours at a time. Chained dogs are much more prone to developing aggression than dogs allowed to roam free in a fenced yard. If someone doesn’t have a fenced yard, it is better to leave the dog in a crate while they are at work, or in a kennel.
Please see this website for more information about chaining/tethering and why it’s not such a great idea:
http://www.unchainyourdog.org/
This is a direct quote from that website, as I cannot say it any better:
"Why is tethering dogs inhumane?
Dogs are naturally social beings who thrive on interaction with human beings and other animals. In the wild, dogs and wolves live, eat, sleep, and hunt with a family of other canines. Dogs are genetically determined to live in a group.
A dog kept chained alone in one spot for hours, days, months, or even years suffers immense psychological damage. An otherwise friendly and docile dog, when kept continuously chained, becomes neurotic, unhappy, anxious, and often aggressive. In many cases, the necks of chained dogs become raw and covered with sores, the result of improperly fitted collars and the dogs’ constant yanking and straining to escape confinement. Some chained dogs have collars embedded in their necks, the result of years of neglect at the end of a chain."
The tethering law went into effect because there were a number of dogs that had chocked and died because of it. Another law that doesn’t seem to be followed much is the law that states a dog must be tethered to the truck if it is in the bed. And the reason for this law is because too many dogs have been jumping out of the truck beds and onto the highway and being killed. You are right about the heat in cars. But as far as being too cold, I don’t know of any area in California that fit that law. If you were in Alaska, Ohio, Canada, or any other place that drops into the minuses, then the law would apply. Essentially what it is, is that they don’t want your dog(s) in your car and freezing to death.
They are more lax than the laws where I used to live in Kansas. You could not leave a dog outside tethered for more than an hr at a time, then you had to bring it inside for at least 3 hours, and the dog could not spend more than 3 hours a day tethered outside total. I agree it is dreadful to leave a dog living on a chain, but it struck me as ridiculous that it was not illegal to leave a dog in a crate 24 hrs a day as long as it was fed and watered, and cleaned out. I am so glad I moved. One of my dogs loved to be outside just laying in the grass, and as we were renting we could not build a fence, but I had to keep her inside most of the time I was home otherwise I could have received a citation.
It was also illegal to to leave any animal confined in a vehicle for more than five (5) minutes in extreme weather conditions, defined as less than thirty degrees Fahrenheit or more than 80 degrees Fahrenheit. The same dog will now go lay in the snow in the yard as long as I will let her.