Councillor Hunter Williams, Chair of the Public Safety Committee announced yesterday (21/7/20) the amendment of the city’s 149-year-old law governing the tethering and chaining of animals.
Owners of dogs, cats and other animals are no longer permitted to tether their pet for more than eight consecutive hours, nor must they use a chain to do so.
The council adjusted the law following a rise in the number of complaints about dogs especially being left tied to trees for hours at a time.
Fines upon fines
An owner found in breach of the law is liable for a £150 fine, and thereafter greater fines for repeated offenses of a similar nature.
Councillor Williams told WSFA, “Our committee has received a large number of complaints about individuals chaining dogs to trees and never taking the dog off the chain, essentially using them as a cheap alarm system and causing them real harm in the process.
“This is an effort to curb that type of animal cruelty. If you aren’t willing to responsibly take care of your animal you shouldn’t have one and we want to make that clear in the city’s code.”
