As of February 1, dog owners cannot leave their dogs tethered in the yard.
Especially for long periods of time, alone, or without food or water. This comes after Dallas has seen some of the coldest temperatures in years, and many dogs were left to fend for themselves tied up in the yard. Incidents of dogs being left in yards in subzero temperatures sparked petitions nation-wide to change city ordinance laws regarding pets left outside.
Now, if a dog is seen tethered in a yard in Dallas, the city is allowed to write the dog owner a ticket.
Dallas Animal Services has been advocating for this ordinance for some time and are happy to see the law updated.
"It's really not a great stimulating life for a dog to be on a chain. They don't have a lot of room to move and they don't get a lot of interaction. We really encourage dogs to be living inside," Gabi Vannini from Dallas Animal Services said.
If the owner does not have a fenced-in yard, they can let their dog outside on a tether but must accompany them. The tether also must be tied to a collar, not directly on the dog. While these regulations may seem extreme for responsible dog owners, there have been too many cases of dogs left chained with little room to move and now the city of Dallas needs to step in to prevent these acts of cruelty.
A dog owner in Dallas can now be ticketed if the dog is injured while on a tether, if they don't have a proper collar or harness, or if the rope or chain is directly tied onto the dog.
What do you think of this updated pet law? Tell us about it in the comments below.
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