Texas Law steps up penalties for restraining dogs

[fultonCoShooter]

Tuesday, January 15, 2008

A state law that went into effect this past summer is catching some dog owners off guard, local animal officials say.

Before Sept. 1, animal control officers could only intervene when chained dogs were suffering from obvious signs of starvation, dehydration or other signs of abuse or neglect.

Texas House Bill 1411 now makes it a misdemeanor offense to chain a dog overnight, under extreme conditions or for longer than three consecutive hours. A fine of up to $500 comes with a first-time conviction, and a second conviction could mean jail time.

Longview attorney Kelly Heitkamp is a member of the Texas Humane Legislation Network, which was instrumental in writing the bill, she said. Penalties for chaining dogs is not tough enough, she said, "but it's a good step.

"Hopefully, future Legislatures will make it a stronger law than it already is," she said.

"(HB 1411) is just another tool that allows us to deal with people effectively," Longview Animal Control Officer Chris Kemper said. "We have to balance in our jobs what we would like to see people do and what the law allows people to do."

Texas joined California and Maryland in limiting the time dogs can be tethered or chained. The city of Austin has ordered that no chains be used at any time, and other cities could follow suit, Kemper said.

"I'd love to see Longview do that," he added. "We're animal lovers. We have animals that live on the ends of our bed."

The bill was introduced in February by George West, R-Odessa, who has hinted at making the law stricter in the future, according to the Dallas Morning News. The 80th Texas Legislature passed HB 1411 two months before Michael Vick's dogfighting indictment in July.

Chaining brings out a more aggressive side of a dog, Kemper said. Longview police Sgt. Shaun Pendleton said some criminals have used chained dogs in their yards as an alert system.

"For years, there were times when people would put vicious dogs in their yards, and whether it be police or whoever, they couldn't just walk right up to their door," Pendleton said. "By the time they've done all that, the dog's alerted the criminals and they've flushed the drugs down the toilet."

Heitkamp added, "It's a great opportunity to use animal cruelty to prevent another sort of crime."

http://www.news-journal.com/news/con...l_control.html

[Aran]

So how does one keep an explorative dog in one's yard where one can't build eight foot tall fences, in Texas?

[knight0334]

Oh great... More wandering dogs(bang).

These bunny huggers really piss me off to no end. Starving, dehydrated, abused animals is one thing, but dogs on chains or ropes is another. The last thing I want to see is fences on every property to keep in the dogs, would much rather see the mutts leashed up in the backyards.

I've yet to see proof that chains, fences or otherwise bring out more aggression. What usually brings out aggression is either: mistreatment by owner or other people, training by owners, being teased by anyone, natural disorder.

I'm not a dog person at all, in fact I hate dogs and could care less if they even existed.. ...but the claim that chains, ropes and leashing makes them meaner critter is a crock of bullshit.

I love animals too... Proud member of PETA. People who Eat Tasty Animals.