SB 429: Oppose as written
The American Dog Breeders Association Inc. (ADBA) favors all forms of dog containment to the owner’s property. We have found that if a dog is trained, socialized, exercised, and given proper attention, the containment method used is not a factor in its behavior or temperament. A dog’s behavior may become problematic when a dog is not properly trained, not properly socialized, and not given proper attention.
About Tethering
Animal activists would have the public believe that tethering is inherently cruel. This is due in part to a desire to humanize dogs and convince the public that it is impossible for any dog to be happy unless it lives in the house.
Activists use only the worst examples of chained dogs in heart wrenching, emotional displays, posters, websites, and lobbying materials for anti-chaining campaigns. The physical act of chaining or tethering itself is not cruel. Rather it is the deliberate and uncaring act of the owner chaining the dog improperly and failing to provide necessary shelter and sustenance that is the cruel act.
Tethering Facts
Tethering can be the safest method of controlling a hard to contain animal. There are dogs that can escape from anything. They can chew through fencing and even chain link, break out windows, open doors, climb or dig under fences, and destroy wire and plastic shipping crates in seconds. These dogs can only be contained securely (and humanely) with a well thought out tether system.
A dog in a 10 X 10 ft kennel has 100 square feet of room. A dog on a 10 ft tether has 360 ft of room.
Tethering is a primary means of control and training of hunting dogs; sled dogs, and dogs that compete in weight pull competition.
Some communities may restrict fencing or have regulations in place regarding type and height which may make them unsuitable for containment.
Cornell Study: The purpose of this study was to determine whether tethering was detrimental to the dogs’ welfare. The study charted a wide range of behaviors and noted those behaviors and the increase or decrease of such in a pen and on a tether.
Their conclusion, “There was no indication that tethering was more detrimental to the dogs’ welfare than housing in a pen.” Further they stated that tethered dogs did not exhibit more stereotypic behaviors, believed to be an indicator of animal welfare.
Yeon Seong C., Golden Glen, Sung Wailani, Erb Hollis N, Reynolds Arleigh J, Houpt Katherine A Comparison of Tethering and Pen Confinement of Dogs Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science 2001 4(4)257-270
The act of tethering itself is not cruel. Neglect and abuse are the problem. Imposing time limits discriminates against people Anti-tethering laws may negatively impact poor, rural, and minority communities, and those who work and prefer to leave the dog outside; and denies their animal access to the outdoors for the workday.
Rather than eliminate the practice of tethering, it is more rational to enforce existing animal welfare and anti-cruelty laws to handle cases of abusive tethering.
All methods of containment, tether, pen, crate, if done properly are humane and are better left to the discretion of responsible dog owners and hunters. In a good tethering situation, a dog has access to food (when appropriate), water and shelter and a play area.
- To ensure water bowls or buckets do not tip over, secure them to the dog house (if wooden) or secure to stakes.
The act of tethering itself is not cruel. Neglect and abuse are the problem. Imposing time limits discriminates against people who work and prefer to leave the dog outside; and denies their animal access to the outdoors for the workday.
Rather than eliminate the practice of tethering, it is more rational to enforce existing animal welfare and anti-cruelty laws to handle cases of abusive tethering.
