Local Animal Cruelty Group Inspires New Ordinance in Trenton
Officials created a new ordinance that would put several restrictions on tethering dogs in Trenton.
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Officials voted in favor of a new ordinance that places more restrictions on dog tethering in the City of Trenton.
The new ordinance, which made it past the first reading Monday, must be voted on once more before it becomes an active city ordinance.
A Downriver animal cruelty group called C.H.A.I.N.E.D., Continuing Helping Animals In Need & Educating Dog owners, inspired Ordinance 768 at a city council meeting on Jan. 22.
An ordinance similar to the one proposed in Trenton was recently passed in Woodhaven.
Woodhaven Mayor Patty Odette is a volunteer for the group and attended the January meeting.
"These people (C.H.A.I.N.E.D.) are unsung heroes," Odette said. "They're out in the middle if the night. They're out in freezing cold. They're out in 100 degree temperatures."
Odette said Dearborn and Dearborn Heights also passed a similar ordinance.
Janet Conley, director of field operations C.H.A.I.N.E.D., spoke to council members on Jan.22 about the growing concern for tethering dogs in Trenton, the Downriver area and in Detroit.
The non-profit group's mission statement is to enhance the lives of dogs who are tethered outside at all times by providing supplies and services and by educating dog owners, according to the C.H.A.I.N.E.D. website.
Conley told council there is at least one case of a dog in Trenton that is tethered outside at all times and has been for the past ten years. She said she has been working with the owner to provide help and education for the dog and the owner.
"The dog is still chained 24/7 as we speak today," Conley said to council. "When we first went to this home in Trenton the owner was very unreceptive."
Tethering dogs for a long period of time or indefinitely can cause them to be anti-social, territorial and prone to attack, according to Conley.
According to the ordinance, tethering means the practice of securing a dog to a stationary object by means of a metal chain or coated steel cable for keeping a dog restrained in its movement. Tethering does not mean walking a dog on a leash, or for temporary grooming, or other professional service, according to the new ordinance.
Ordinance 768 would make it unlawful for a resident to:
- Continuously tether a dog for more than three hours per day.
- Tether a dog on a tether made of anything but a coated steel cable more than ten feet in length:
- Use a tether or any assembly or attachments, thereto to tether a dog that shall weigh more than ten percent of the the animal's body weight, or due to weight, inhibit the free movement of the animal within the area tethered; or
- Tether a dog on anything except a buckle-type collar or harness, or tethering on a choke chain around the dog's neck, or tethered to training collars such as choke or pinch-style collars, or in such a manner at to cause injury, strangulation, or entanglement of the dog on fences, trees, or other man made or natural obstacles; or
- Tether a dog without access to shade when sunlight is likley to cause overheating, or appropriate shelter to provide insulation and protection against cold and dampness when the atmospheric temperature falls below 40 degrees Fahrenheit, or tether a dog without securing its food and water supply so that it cannot be tipped over by the tether; or
- Tether a dog in an open area where it can be teased by persons or an open area that does not provide the dog protection from attack by other animals; or
- Tether a dog in an area composed entirely of bare earth subject to becoming wet in and muddy in the event of precipitation, and without any dry surface area or cover for protection.
- Tether a dog less than four months of age.
- Tether more than one dog to a single tether.
- Tether a dog to a stationary object with would allow a dog to come within five feet of any property line.
- Tether a dig without a swivel attached and/or equipped on both ends.
The ordinance could be enacted on Feb. 19 and published on or before March 3.
What do you think about the new ordinance? Tell us in the comments!
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TERRI VITALE
2:46 pm on Friday, February 8, 2013
I RESIDE IN LINCOLN PARK AND I TOTALLY AGREE WITH THE NEW LAW IN TRENTON. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE LINCOLN PARK COUNCIL MEMBERS BRING THIS BEFORE THEIR TABLE ON COUNCIL NIGHT.. SO MANY ANIMALS ARE LEFT OUTSIDE IN COLD/HOT TEMPERATURES AND OWNERS DO NOT CARE. WHAT COULD I DO TO BRING THIS TO THE ATTENTION OF OUR MAYOR HERE IN LINCOLN PARK? THANK YOU, TERRI VITALE tiv360@aol.com
Kyle Stack
3:33 pm on Saturday, February 9, 2013
Make an appointment to see the Mayor and ask to speak to the Council.
Mayor Kyle Stack, Trenton
Gloria
6:24 pm on Friday, February 8, 2013
Wish someone could go cut the chain and rescue the dog. Have a neighbor that leaves their little dog outside in the worst elements with no concerns. Uggghhhhh.
sandra
10:23 am on Saturday, February 9, 2013
Why don't you call "CHAINED" to help with your neighbor that leaves their dog outside??
sine-of-the-times
8:42 pm on Friday, February 8, 2013
It's sad that you have to legislate love and care for animals, but since we do, this will help curb animal abuse and I'm all for it.
michelle
9:29 am on Monday, February 11, 2013
Exactly! Why have an animal if you do not do the minimum to take care of it? I always think those people are control freaks. They don't want a messy house, they want control over another living thing, they want a guard dog or to intimidate. There are not any good reasons to leave your pet chained outside for long lengths of time.
We inherited a husky that was chained up because the yard wasn't fenced (not for long periods). We brought her to our house and she loved to runt he yard. We moved to a house without a fence and the first priority was to put a fence up for the dog. She loves to be outside and play. Most dogs don't want to be cooped up all day in the house. They also don't want to be tethered and unable to run.
Keech
10:41 pm on Friday, February 8, 2013
I wish this happened 6yrs ago! I had trashy neighbors who did this to a husky and when I called animal control, they went there and tried to tell me the dog was fine! I own two huskies and you should NEVER see their ribs! Or have them on a chain that is so heavy it makes their head sag!!! Or no shelter from the elements!! I think this group needs to educate the woodhaven/Trenton animal control officers!!! SMH
Leah Derby
1:34 am on Saturday, February 9, 2013
to "never" be able to leave your dog out for more than 3 hours? "never"? i think this is ridiculous. the other points may be reasonable and should be more than strong enough to keep dog owners from leaving them out in poor conditions. the over 4 months of age thing is kinda stupid, too. i know lots of people who tether their puppy during the house training for 20 minutes or so at a time til they potty, then "yay puppy did good!" and bring them in.
Debbie Williams
11:13 am on Saturday, February 9, 2013
Leah, why would a dog ever need to be tethered for more than three hours? For that matter, why would a dog need to outside for three hours? They want to be inside with their family.
Katie
11:48 am on Saturday, February 9, 2013
I agree with you Leah. My dog spends as much time as he wants inside with us, but he sometimes chooses to be outside enjoying the day for more than three hours at a time. And when we happen to be gone for more than three hours at a time, he doesn't mind being left tethered outside, but panics if he is left alone in the house. Of course we take into consideration the weather outside, so it's not like he's being left out in bad conditions, but the blanket restriction of three hours seems ridiculous to me too. Of course overall it is great to be getting dogs that are tethered 24/7 and in bad weather or with giant chains, etc out of those situations! And I mostly love the work that CHAINED does.
C.H.A.I.N.E.D Inc
10:04 am on Saturday, February 9, 2013
Thank you for all the words of support. We have worked diligently to have these ordinances put in place and thank Director of Field Operations Janet Conley for her presentation
to the City of Trenton council members. President and Founder Gina Freemon & Janet Conley just completed a presentation to the Downriver Community Conference Thursday on the effects of chaining and the benefits of having a tethering ordinance in place in all Downriver cities. Please contact your council and Mayor and let them know that as a resident of your city you would like to see this ordinance or one similar put in place.
Sue Burstein
10:38 am on Saturday, February 9, 2013
Excellent! But I suggest that once the law is passed those who break it will be punished by being tethered in 20 degree weather or 90 degree weather outside with no shelter for at least 24 hours. Then they will be neutered/spayed. I believe this to be a fair and just punishment. Don't want cretins to reproduce.
Debbie Williams
11:15 am on Saturday, February 9, 2013
This is amazing news. Thank you C.H.A.I.N.E.D! You are really making a huge difference in the life of these dogs and inspiring others to do better.
Lisa Sobell
11:24 am on Saturday, February 9, 2013
Wonderful! A big step in the right direction, great work!
Leah Derby
12:51 pm on Saturday, February 9, 2013
my dogs would sleep in my bed with me at night, but LOVE being outside for HOURS. and when they've dug holes under the fence that cannot be repaired that day or that week, tethering is kinda mandatory. but then again, i don't live in trenton :) so make whatever laws you feel you need to LOL
michelle
9:33 am on Monday, February 11, 2013
I'm sure there would be considerations for things such as needing to tether for a dug hole or what not. This is to protect the animals from abuse not prosecute innocent people. If your dog is well cared for and you have a good reason for the situation I doubt they would come after you.
Ian
1:58 pm on Saturday, February 9, 2013
I'd rather we just didn't have pets, but whatever.
It is easy to act rashly when faced with an emotionally charged issue such as animal cruelty. I must ask everyone to think logically and completely on the subject analyzing both the positive and negative impact before a decision is made.
The legislation proposed has good intentions and would prevent abuse, but as stated, could over regulate something as simple as caring for your dog.
There is also no mention of consequences for breaking regulation, and setting the severity is important if over regulation is occurring because people who do care for their pets could be wrongly imprisoned, stripped of pet ownership, and defamed as an animal abusers when they truly do care for them.
I must remind the person who suggested spaying or neutering offenders and tethering them that as much as you may love your dog, they will never be more important than human life, and stripping people of inalienable rights is a far more deplorable and inhumane action than putting the dog outside for four hours.
I will say that the psychological information has great merit, and may be the best reason for any of this.
William Riley
10:11 pm on Saturday, February 9, 2013
Ian, you make it rather clear that you have little feelings for animals, and place human beings way above animals in this world. It sounds to me that you have never had a pet in your life, let alone having one pass away in your arms as many pet owners like myself have done. Try watching the Animal Planet Channel programs like Animal Cops Houston, Animal Cops Miami, or Animal Cops Detroit to get a good look at the horrible way people in this world treat their animals. One of the problems is that THE LAWS ARE JUST NOT STRONG ENOUGH TO HELP PREVENT THIS KIND OF THING. It's not good when the laws that cover animals are usually not felonies, when the same offense involving a human is. I agree that the suggested punishment is a bit extreme, but most pet lovers have felt that this might be an option from time to time.
Patricia Odette
8:15 am on Sunday, February 10, 2013
Thank-you Mayor Stack and City Council.
Kyle Stack
10:40 am on Monday, February 11, 2013
No, thank you, Mayor Odette for bringing it to our attention. An animal lover I am, just as you are and they cannot speak for themselves so somebody has too!
Barb Barnett
8:43 pm on Sunday, February 10, 2013
Great job CHAINED! Many people just don't realize the ill-effects of boredom, lonliness and poor weather has on a chained animal. It's cruel to ignore them, but many people do this every day! Hopefully this ordinance will inspire all communities to do the right thing by our defenseless friends.
Ron
7:54 pm on Monday, February 11, 2013
There are currently plenty of ordinances on the books in just about every community around here to address animal cruelty without having to adopt more ordinances. Enforce the ones you have now on those that violate and mistreat animals. There's clearly no need to adopt new ordinances to address an old problem when you're not already enforcing the ones you have.