PET CLASSIFIED'S
 WHAT IS MEANT BY        
     "CHAINING OR              
  TETHERING" DOGS?

THESE TERMS REFER TO THE
PRACTICE OF FASTENING A
DOG TO A STATIONARY
OBJECT OR STAKE, USUALLY
IN THE OWNERS BACKYARD,
AS A MEANS OF KEEPING THE
   THE RULES OF GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE ANIMAL          
                                            PROTECTION DIVISION
                                             CHAPTER 40-13-13
                                           ANIMAL PROTECTION


THE HUMANE SOCIETY OF THE UNITED STATES AND NUMEROUS ANIMAL EXPERTS, THE
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE (USDA) ISSUED A STATEMENT IN FEDERAL REGISTER
AGAINST TETHERING:

"OUR EXPERIENCE IN ENFORCING THE ANIMAL WELFARE ACT HAS LED US TO
CONCLUDE THAT CONTINUOUS CONFINEMENT OF DOGS BY A TETHER IS INHUMANE.
A TETHER SIGNIFICANTLY RESTRICTS  A DOG'S MOVEMENT. A TETHER CAN ALSO
BECOME TANGLED AROUND OR HOOKED ON THE DOG'S SHELTER STRUCTURE OR
OTHER OBJECTS, FURTHER RESTRICTING THE DOG'S MOVEMENT AND POTENTIALLY
CAUSING INJURY."


IS THERE A PROBLEM WITH CONTINUOUS CHAINING OR TETHERING?

YES, THE PRACTICE IS BOTH INHUMANE AND A THREAT TO THE SAFETY OF THE
CONFINED DOG, OTHER ANIMALS, AND HUMANS.

WHY IS TETHERING DOGS INHUMANE?

DOGS ARE NATURALLY SOCIAL BEINGS WHO THRIVE ON INTERACTION WITH HUMAN
INTERACTION WITH HUMAN BEINGS AND OTHER ANIMALS. A DOG KEPT CHAINED 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 DOG'S CONSTANT
YANKING AND STRAINING TO ESCAPE CONFINEMENT. DOGS HAVE EVEN BEEN FOUND
WITH COLLARS EMBEDDED IN THEIR NECKS, THE RESULT OT YEARS OF NEGLECT AT
THE END OF A CHAIN. IN ONE CASE, A VETERINARIAN HAD TO EUTHANIZE A DOG
WHOSE COLLAR,, AN ELECTRICAL CORD, WAS SO EMBEDDED IN THE ANIMAL'S NECK
THAT IT WAS DIFFICULT TO SEE THE PLUG.


HOW DOES TETHERING OR CHAINING DOGS POSE A DANGER TO HUMANS?

DOGS TETHERED FOR LONG PERIODS CAN BECOME HIGHLY AGGRESSIVE. DOGS FEEL
NATURALLY PROTECTIVE OF THEIR TERRITORY. WHEN CONFRONTED WITH A
PERCEIVED THREAT, THEY RESPOND ACCORDING TO THEIR FIGHT-OR-FLIGHT
INSTINCT. A CHAINED DOG, UNABLE TO TAKE FLIGHT, OFTEN FEELS FORCED TO FIGHT,
ATTACKING AN UNFAMILIAR ANIMAL OR PERSON WHO UNWITTINGLY WANDERS INTO
HIS OR HER TERRITORY.

NUMEROUS ATTACKS ON PEOPLE BY TETHERED DOGS HAVE BEEN DOCUMENTED.
FOR EXAMPLE, A STUDY PUBLISHED IN THE SEPTEMBER 15 2000, ISSUE OF THE
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN VETERINARY MEDICAL ASSOCIATION REPORTED THAT
17% OF DOGS INVOLVED IN FATAL ATTACKS ON HUMANS BETWEEN 1979 AND 1998
WERE RESTRAINED ON THEIR OWNERS PROPERTY AT THE TIME OF THE ATTACK.
TRAGICALLY, THE VICTIMS OF SUCH ATTACKS ARE OFTEN CHILDREN WHO ARE
UNAWARE OF THE CHAINED DOGS PRESENCE UNTIL IT IS TOO LATE. FURTHERMORE,
A TETHERED DOG WHO FINALLY DOES GET LOOSE FROM ITS CHAINS MAY REMAIN
AGGRESSIVE,, AND IS LIKELY TO CHASE AND ATTACK UNSUSPECTING PASSERSBY AND
PETS.

WHY IS TETHERING DANGEROUS TO DOGS?

IN ADDITION TO THE PSYCHOLOGICAL DAMAGE BROUGHT BY CONTINUOUS CHAINING,
DOGS FORCED TO LIVE ON A CHAIN MAKE EASY TARGETS FOR OTHER ANIMALS,
HUMANS, AND BITING INSECTS. A CHAINED ANIMAL MAY SUFFER HARASSMENT AND
TEASING FROM INSENSITIVE HUMANS, STINGING BITES FROM INSECTS, AND IN THE
WORST CASES, ATTACKS BY OTHER ANIMALS. CHAINED DOGS ARE ALSO EASY
TARGETS FOR THIEVES LOOKING TO STEAL ANIMALS FOR SALE TO RESEARCH
INSTITUTIONS OR TO BE USED AS TRAINING FODDER FOR ORGANIZED ANIMAL FIGHTS.
FINALLY, DOGS TETHERS CAN BECOME ENTANGLED WITHE OTHER OBJECTS, WHICH
CAN CHOKE OR STRANGLE THE DOGS TO DEATH

ARE THESE DOGS DANGEROUS TO OTHER ANIMALS?

IN SOME INSTANCES  YES. ANY  OTHER ANIMAL THAT COMES INTO THEIR AREA OF
CONFINEMENT IS IN JEOPARDY. CATS, RABBITS,SMALLER DOGS, AND OTHERS MAY
ENTER THE AREA WHEN THE TETHERED DOG IS ASLEEP AND THEN BE FIERCELY
ATTACKED WHEN THE DOG AWAKENS.

ARE TETHERED DOGS OTHERWISE TREATED WILL?

RARELY DOES A CHAINED OR TETHERED DOG RECEIVE SUFFICIENT CARE..
TETHERED DOGS SUFFER FROM SPORADIC FEEDING, OVERTURNED WATER BOWLS,
INADEQUATE VETERINARY CARE, AND EXTREME TEMPERATURES. DURING SNOW
STORMS, THESE DOGS OFTEN HAVE NOT ACCESS TO SHELTER. DURING PERIODS OF
EXTREME HEAT, THEY MAY NOT RECEIVE ADEQUATE WATER OR PROTECTION FROM
THE SUN. WHATS MORE, BECAUSE THEIR OFTEN NEUROTIC BEHAVIOR MAKES THEM
DIFFICULT TO APPROACH, CHAINED DOGS ARE RARELY GIVEN EVEN MINIMAL
AFFECTION. TETHERED DOGS MAY BECOME "PART OF THE SCENERY" AND CAN BE
EASILY IGNORED BY THEIR OWNERS.

ARE THE AREAS IN WHICH TETHERED DOGS ARE CONFINED USUALLY COMFORTABLE?

NO, BECAUSE THE DOGS HAVE TO EAT, SLEEP, URINATE, AND DEFECATED IN A SINGLE
CONFINED AREA. OWNERS WHO CHAINS THEIR DOGS ARE ALSO LESS LIKELY TO
CLEAN THE AREA. ALTHOUGH THERE MAY HAVE ONCE BEEN GRASS IN AN AREA OF
CONFINEMENT, IT IS USUALLY SO BEATEN DOWN BY THE DOG'S PACING THAT THE
GROUND CONSISTS OF NOTHING BUT DIRT OR MUD.

BUT HOW ELSE CAN PEOPLE CONFINE DOGS?

THE HSUS RECOMMENDS THAT ALL DOGS BE KEPT INDOORS AT NIGHT, TAKEN ON
REGULAR WALKS, AND OTHERWISE PROVIDED WITH ADEQUATE ATTENTION, FOOD,
WATER, AND VETERINARY CARE. IF AN ANIMAL MUST BE HOUSED OUTSIDE AT CERTAIN
TIMES, HE SHOULD VETERINARY CARE. IF AN ANIMAL MUST BE HOUSED OUTSIDE AT
CERTAIN TIMES, HE SHOULD BE PLACED IN A SUITABLE PEN WITH ADEQUATE SQUARE
FOOTAGE AND SHELTER FROM THE ELEMENTS.

IF A DOG IS CHAINED OR TETHERED FOR A PERIOD OF TIME, CAN IT BE  DONE
HUMANELY?

ANIMALS WHO MUST BE KEPT ON A TETHER SHOULD BE SECURED IN SUCH A WAY
THAT THE TETHER CANNOT BECOME ENTANGLED WITH OTHER OBJECTS. COLLARS
USED TO ATTACH AN ANIMAL SHOULD BE COMFORTABLE AND PROPERLY FITTED:
CHOKE CHAINS SHOULD NEVER BE USED. RESTRAINTS SHOULD ALLOW THE ANIMAL
TO MOVE ABOUT AND LIE DOWN COMFORTABLY. ANIMALS SHOULD NEVER BE
TETHERED DURING NATURAL DISASTERS SUCH AS FLOODS, FIRES, TORNADOES,
HURRICANES, OR BLIZZARDS.

WHAT ABOUT ATTACHING A DOGS LEASH TO A "PULLEY RUN"?

ATTACHING A DOGS LEASH TO A LONG LINE --SUCH AS A  CLOTHESLINE OR A
MANUFACTURED DEVICE KNOWN AS A PULLEY RUN-- AND LETTING THE ANIMAL HAVE A
LARGER AREA IN WHICH TO EXPLORE IS PREFERABLE TO TETHERING THE DOG TO A
STATIONARY OBJECT. HOWEVER, MANY OF THE SAME PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH
TETHERING STILL APPLY , INCLUDING ATTACKS ON OR BY OTHER ANIMALS, LACK  OF
SOCIALIZATION, AND SAFETY.

WHAT CAN BE DONE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM OF TETHERING DOGS?

WHY SHOULD A COMMUNITY OUTLAW THE CONTINUOUS CHAINING OR TETHERING OF
DOGS?

ANIMAL CONTROL AND HUMANE AGENCIES RECEIVE COUNTLESS CALLS EVERY DAY
FROM CITIZENS CONCERNED ABOUT ANIMALS IN THESE CRUEL SITUATIONS. ANIMAL
CONTROL OFFICERS, PAID AT TAXPAYER EXPENSE, SPEND MANY HOURS TRYING TO
EDUCATE PET OWNERS ABOUT THE DANGERS AND CRUELTY INVOLVED IN THIS
PRACTICE.

A CHAINED ANIMAL IS CAUGHT IN A VICIOUS CYCLE ; FRUSTRATED BY LONG PERIODS
OF BOREDOM AND SOCIAL ISOLATION, HE BECOMES A NEUROTIC SHELL OF HIS
FORMER SELF- FURTHER DETERRING HUMAN INTERACTION AND KINDNESS. IN THE
END, THE HELPLESS DOG CAN ONLY SUFFER THE FRUSTRATION OF WATCHING THE
WORLD GO BY IN ISOLATION-- A CRUEL FATE FOR WHAT IS BY NATURE A HIGHLY
SOCIAL ANIMAL. ANY CITY, COUNTY, OR STATE THAT BANS THIS PRACTICE IS A SAFER,
MORE HUMANE COMMUNITY...
ANIMAL UNDER CONTROL. THESE TERMS DO NOT REFER TO THE PERIODS WHEN
AN ANIMAL IS WALKED ON A LEASH.