Pros, cons unleashed in hearing on dog-tethering rule

Hillsborough, N.C. — Orange County commissioners heard long and loud Tuesday night from advocates pushing for a new ordinance to limit dog tethering and from opponents, and the controversy delayed any decisions.

The board finally ended the public hearing without a vote, likely deferring action until fall.

The hearing went late into the night as the two sides sparred over the issue.

“Tiger before was a broken dog. His spirit was broken,” said Heather Brown, with the Coalition to Unchain Dogs.

Tiger used to be chained to a 4-foot tether day and night, Brown said. The Coalition to Unchain Dogs has since built Tiger a fence.

“His tail never stops. He's happy. He gets to run,” Brown said of Tiger's transformation.

“I am very opposed,” George Painter, president of the Eno River Coon Hunters Association, said of the amendment. “For one thing, it's an injustice."

The coalition wants Orange County to severely restrict the dog-tethering portion of its animal control ordinance to allow no more than three hours in a 24-hour period.

The amendment drawn up county staff also would specify types of collars and equipment that could be used, minimum kennel sizes, certain exemptions and an 18-month educational period after enactment.

As presented Tuesday night, the ordinance would take effect in June 2009 and would have violators issued only warnings for one year as an educational effort. Penalties would not start until 2010.

The board had ordered the amendment drawn up last November after getting the report of a tethering committee.

Officials said Wednesday that a packed agenda for the commissioners' last spring meeting and the standard summer recess meant the ordinance won't come up again before September at the earliest.

Suzanne Roy said chains pose a safety hazard to dogs and that the coalition offers to build fences for dog owners who need financial assistance.

“Oh yes, we'd be very happy to build a fence around my 12-acre property,” Painter said sarcastically of the offer.

“Well, dogs don't run on 10 acres, they're on 10-foot tethers. I mean they don't have to fence the entire property,” Roy responded.

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Latest Comments

Oldschool- Great idea.... just awesome. Lets call 911 over an animal. First off this is not an emergency. Now if the dog came up and bit you, that would be a valid reason for calling 911. But just like people calling 911 b/c they have stub their toe, Not only does this tax the 911 operatiors but this also taxes the responders. And people wonder why when they call 911 it takes the emergency services a long time to get there. It's b/c someone felt the need to call 911 over a dog in someones back yard

futbalfantic
June 5, 2008 2:52 p.m.

I didn't know there was an Eno River CHA, I'd love to be able to contact the spokesperson. I wonder where their meetings are held?

Silver loves Rebel Red puppies
June 4, 2008 5:32 p.m.

dplowman... right on about Orange CO... my folks live there still, and the 'planning' office is more like the "NO" commercials you see for that credit card. You're probably right... you'd probably never get the permit to build the fence... or certificate of occupancy for the dog house until it's been inspected :)

Trying to legislate common sense... so the law can't be vague, it has to be definitive... good luck doing that... so all too often it becomes an all or nothing thing and we all suffer. Society, like a herd of animals, is as only as smart as it's dumbest members I'm afraid.... and from the look of things, were royally "an inclined plane around a central cylinder"-ed.

irishale
June 4, 2008 5:31 p.m.

you know, this is all about the biggest problem of all we have in this country... we're trying to legislate common sense... an impossible thing to do!

4' chain all day? Yes, that's inhuman. 10' x 10' fence all day, every day? yeah, that's inhumane too. Or even putting the dog in the fenced-in back yard, if you NEVER spend any time with it!

Had a dog growing up, was kept on a 16' chain, on a pulley on a steel cable running about 30' between 2 trees... near the house so that interaction could occur every time somebody came outside. Plus once a day the dog was loosed from the chain to run for an hour or so (more on the weekends).

That was the most well-behaved, happiest dog I had ever seen. She wouldn't stray far away during her runs, and would always come when called. If you said "time to get on the hook" she'd actually go back to the chain to be hooked up when exercise time was over.

I guess the point I'm trying to make is, IGNORING the dog is what makes the dog mean!!!

irishale
June 4, 2008 5:22 p.m.

RIGHT ON OLD SCHOOL!!!!!!!

rrnjmm1999
June 4, 2008 3:58 p.m.