City tightens restrictions on pet tethering, treatment

City leaders in Roswell approved a ban on the unattended tethering of animals earlier this week, making it illegal for pet owners to chain up a dog outside by itself for an extended period of time.

The vote at Monday’s city council meeting was unanimous to approve the amendment to the city’s ordinance on cruelty to animals.

There were, however, a few changes to the initial proposed amendment. Councilmember Marie Willsey asked to have the definition of “protection of weather” erased from the amendment.

Initially, there was language in the amendment that said pet owners would have to bring dogs inside if temperatures were above 85 degrees or below 32 degrees.

The council received questions about the proposed temperature range, Willsey said, and plan to address that issue later.

Roswell police and Fulton County Animal Control will enforce the ordinance, which goes into effect immediately. Of fenders could face citations or fines.

The council fifirst read the ordinance April 9, but the idea of changing the city’s laws on dog tethering was fifirst brought to the council’s attention in January when Roswell resident Peggy McCarthy spoke about it at an open forum.

Portions of Fulton County’ s ordinance on animal cruelty “lacked clarity” and needed updating, McCarthy said at the time.

A study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that chained dogs are nearly three times more likely to bite an adult than non chained dogs. With children under the age of 12, chained dogs are almost 5½ times more likely to bite, according to the Humane Society.

According to Animal Law Source, Cherokee, Cobb, Gwinnett, Douglas and Rockdale counties have similar ordinances where tethering is banned when a person is not with the pet.

“We saw this ordinance as an opportunity for the city to show our support to the humane treatment of animals, to improve public safety, to improve the health of dogs and to improve conditions that cause aggressive behaviors,” council member Marie Will sey said at the April 9 meeting.

The city defines “tethering a dog” as when a dog is attached to either a single point or a trolley system by a cable or similar device. Under the amended ordinance, owners wouldn’t be able to use any chain for tethering.

Any tether used must be attached to a harness or buckle-type collar, the ordinance says. No tether can be wrapped around the dog’s neck and collars must allow enough room between it and the dog’s neck for two fingers to fifit between.