North Caroina Anti tethering!!!

I just recieved this via email.. If anyone can whip up a response letter that would be great I know alot of you are better than I am at responding to these laws tactfully. So please help!!


Referred to:

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT TO AMEND THE criminal LAW CONCERNING RESTRAINING OF DOGS.

SECTION 1. G.S. 14-362.3 reads as rewritten:

"§ 14-362.3. Restraining dogs in a cruel manner.

(a) A person who maliciously knowingly restrains a dog using a chain or wire grossly in excess of the size necessary to restrain the dog safely or other type of tethering device in violation of this section is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor. For purposes of this section, "maliciously" means the person imposed the restraint intentionally and with malice or bad motive.

(b) No person shall tether, fasten, chain, tie, or restrain a dog, or cause such restraining of a dog, to a tree, fence, post, dog house, or other stationary object for more than three hours in a 24-hour period. During periods of tethering that are not unlawful under this subsection, any tethering device used shall be at least 15 feet in length and attached in such manner as to prevent strangulation or other injury to the dog and entanglement with objects other than the stationary objects to which the device is attached.

(c) No person shall tether, fasten, chain, tie, or restrain a dog, or cause such restraining of a dog, to a cable trolley system, that allows movement of the restraining device, for more than six hours in a 24-hour period. During periods of tethering that are not unlawful under this subsection, the length of the cable along which the tethering device can move must be at least 10 feet, and the tethering device must be of such length that the dog is able to move 10 feet away from the cable perpendicularly.

(d) No person shall attach a chain or wire or other tethering device to, or cause such attachment to, a choke-type or pronged collar on a dog.

(e) No person shall attach a chain or wire or other tethering device to a dog in such manner that does not allow the dog access to water and shelter.

(f) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsections (b) and (c) of this section, a person may, subject to the provisions of subsections (d) and (e) of this section:

(1) Tether and restrain a dog while actively engaged in:

a. Use of the dog in shepherding or herding livestock, or

b. Use of the dog in the business of cultivating agricultural products, if the restraining is reasonably necessary for the safety of the dog, or

c. Use of the dog in lawful hunting activities if the restraint is reasonably necessary for the safety of the dog.

(2) After taking possession of a dog that appears to be a stray dog and after having advised animal control authorities of the capture of the dog, tether and restrain the dog during such time as the person having taken possession of the dog is seeking the identity of the owner of the dog.

(3) Walk a dog with a handheld leash.

(g) A county, city, or town may by ordinance:

(1) Reduce the time of permissible tethering provided in subsections (b) and (c) of this section, including a prohibition on tethering.

(2) Increase the permitted time for tethering on a rope or chain provided in subsection (b) from three to as many as nine hours.

(3) Increase the permitted time for tethering on a pulley system provided in subsection (c) from six to as many as twelve hours in any 24-hour period.

(h) Restraining a dog in a manner prohibited by this section constitutes cruelty as defined in G.S. 19A-1(2)."

SECTION 2. This act becomes effective December 1, 2007, and applies to acts committed on or after that date.

 

Well I've got a list of senators and their emails.. but I can't seem to get it to allow me to post it!

 

im kinda confused as to why you would want to write anyone a letter concerning this. how would this bill not be good for any dog, let alone pit bulls who get such a shit rep because of ignorant people who put big ass chains on their dogs and leave them tied to a tree? hopefully you are looking to write a letter to support the bill

 

Because a bill like this is a death sentence for most dogs on any "yard" or in any situation where a person has more than a few dogs. A good chain set up is about the safest way to keep a dog. Not EVERYONE who has dogs keeps them as just pets. This sort of thing is an attempt by middle/upper-class people who live in urban/suburban areas to shove their way of doing things down other peoples throats. Its very very hard to keep performance bred Pitbulls safely. They strongly tend to be escape artist. Most people who breed use chain set ups instead of kennels for two reasons. Safer, and more room for the dog to move around.


A bill like this would mean the deaths of hundreds if not thousands of Pitbulls in a state like North Carolina. And of course, thats the idea.

 

stretch703im kinda confused as to why you would want to write anyone a letter concerning this. how would this bill not be good for any dog, let alone pit bulls who get such a shit rep because of ignorant people who put big ass chains on their dogs and leave them tied to a tree? hopefully you are looking to write a letter to support the bill
I refer you to here:
http://www.game-dog.com/forums/showthread.php?t=20136

agreed, it will ultimatley mean the end, yes, the demise for MANY dogs of owners of APBT's, who, as we all know, cannot allow their dogs to meerly run around happily ever after, with one another, because in the world of the APBT, this is not a "real" situation, as most will fight with one another! So, unless you have the ability AND the means to build kennels OR have a house with LOTS of rooms inwhich to seperate and keep your dogs in, then you're shit out of luck and you can kiss those pooches good bye.
There has not been any scientific proof to date, that i'm aware of, that PROOVES that dogs who are kept confined on a chain have been found to be more aggressive or are more difficult to own, etc, than dogs who are kenneled.
and yes, WITHOUT question, this is just another way for idiotic, heads up their asses AR groups to exert their "control" over animal owners, and be able to pull a fast one, as they take, yet again, away, another right, that we, as owners, should HAVE and NOT be void of.
and true, once it "passes" in one city or town, you'd better BELIEVE this same stupidity and narrowminded thinking will wreak its havoc somewhere else, perhaps
even in YOUR city or state!
and
i don't know about you, but i sure as shit am NOT gunna let some bleeding heart, ignorant puke tell me how they feel I should be containing OR housing MY animals!
what'll be next?????? aren't muzzles, mandtory spay/neutering, hiked up insurance fees, refusal to rent to me, cuz of my dog, not to mention the too MANY other retarded, asinine way of things/rules enough yet?!!!!!

 

Someone on this board said it best:

"Chains don't abuse & neglect dogs........people do."

 

Right on Mia. All the Apbt's i have right now are good enough to be house dogs, but if they weren't in the house you better believe i wouldn't leave them outside without a chain or tether. When my dogs are on potty breaks without me they are chained. I don't allow them outside without me and without a chain. Maybe if more owners did this our breed wouldn't be hated so much.

 

HELL NO!

This bill does not only affect APBT owners it will effect many working breeds. Not all dogs are meant to be or can be a pet!

 

If I left my dogs alone in Kennels they would be gone in under an hour. When they are out they are on chains, and when they are in kennels when I am not home they are on a chain in the kennel, the only purpose of the kennel is to keep strays away and so I can lock it so it is harder to steal them.

 

so there saying its ok to keep them in kennels but not on chain did i read that right .... what next sorry guys you cant own dogs at all get a cat ... wow

as much as i want to see this bill get SQWASHED this bill is just the first of many to come they are taking away our rights as people one bill at a time first we cant keep dogs in OUR yards on chains then we cant keep more than a certian number of dogs in OUR yards then we cant keep dogs in kennels for more than a certian amount of time then we cant own a certian type of breed then we cant keep anything on OUR YARD AT ALL BECOUSE BY THAT TIME IT WONT BE OUR YARD we will be barrowing it from our twisted government THIS MAKES ME SICK why dont they go conjure up a bill that puts murderers and rapists and child molesters to DEATH AND DO THIS COUNTRY A FAVOR why they have to fuck with DOG OWNERS ill never no but i stand by the fact that we as a country need to stand up i still say as i always will ITS TIME FOR ANOTHER BOSTON TEA PARTY ...

 

Parts of the bill are good. Such as no chaining with a choke or prong collar, and not using a chain that is excessive to the point of possibly being harmful. But as it is, you can't even chain a dog outside while you go to work, unless you only work short shifts. At any rate, if there are contacts, I will write.

 

Austin M. Allran Austina@ncleg.net ; Tom Apodaca Toma@ncleg.net; Bob Atwater Boba@ncleg.net ; Marc Basnight Marcb@ncleg.net ; Doug Berger
Dougb@ncleg.net ; Phil Berger philbe@ncleg.net ; Stan Bingham stanb@ncleg.net ;Harris Blake Harrisb@ncleg.net ; Julia Boseman Juliab@ncleg.net ; Andrew C. Brock Andrewb@ncleg.net ; Peter Samuel (Pete) Brunstetter Peterb@ncleg.net ; Daniel G. Clodfelter Danielc@ncleg.net ;Janet Cowell Janetc@ncleg.net ; Walter H. Dalton Walterd@ncleg.net
Charlie Smith Dannelly Charlied@ncleg.net ;Katie G. Dorsett Katied@ncleg.net ;Don East Done@ncleg.net ; Tony Foriest Tonyf@ncleg.net ; James Forrester Jamesf@ncleg.net ;Linda Garrou Lindag@ncleg.net ; W. Edward (Eddie) Goodall Eddieg@ncleg.net ; Steve Goss Steveg@ncleg.net ; Malcolm Graham Malcolmg@ncleg.net ; Kay R. Hagan Kayh@ncleg.net ; Fletcher L. Hartsell, Jr. Fletcherh@ncleg.net ; David W. Hoyle Davidh@ncleg.net ; Neal Hunt Nealh@ncleg.net ; Jim Jacumin Jimja@ncleg.net ; Clark Jenkins Clarkj@ncleg.net ;

 

Ed Jones [ Appointed 01/24/2007 ] Edwardj@ncleg.net ; John H. Kerr III Johnk@ncleg.net ; Eleanor Kinnaird Elliek@ncleg.net ; Vernon Malone Vernonm@ncleg.net ; Martin L. Nesbitt, Jr. martinn@ncleg.net ; Robert Pittenger Robertp@ncleg.net ; Jean Preston Jeanp@ncleg.net ; William R. Purcell Williamp@ncleg.net ; Joe Sam Queen Joeq@ncleg.net ; Tony Rand Tonyr@ncleg.net ; Larry Shaw Larrys@ncleg.net ; Fred Smith Freds@ncleg.net ; John Snow Johnsn@ncleg.net ; R. C. Soles, Jr. Rcsoles@ncleg.net ; Richard Stevens Richards@ncleg.net ; A. B. Swindell abs@ncleg.net ; Jerry W. Tillman Jerryt@ncleg.net ; David F. Weinstein Davidw@ncleg.net ; Charles W. Albertson Charliea@ncleg.net

These last two posts is the list of the Senators in the 2007-2008 session in North Carolina. If someone can come up with a letter fire it off please. I'm not tactful for these things.

 

Mine:

Hello. I am writing in opposition of the proposed bill to amend the criminal law in NC with regard to chaining or tethering dogs. I am not a resident of NC, but I am writing as a concerned dog owner who is interested in animal welfare and humane treatment. I hope you will take a moment to read my thoughts on this issue.

Please note that I myself do not tether my dog, however I have used a chain in the past, and may have to in the future as well. My main problem with this bill is that it attempts to address dog ownership as a one-size-fits-all scenario. A dog owner should have the option to evaluate what means of containment works best for their own personal situation. The most important goal should be to eliminate free-roaming dogs, and to that end, we make better progress by educating about the proper use of a tether, rather than simply eliminating the practice. There is no one right or wrong answer when it comes to methods of restraint.

There are parts of this bill which are good, such as disallowing the use of training collars while tethering, and requiring that the dog be given access to shelter and water. However, the time limit of 3 hours would prohibit a working person from using a tether to confine their dog, as the average work shift is 8 hours. Dogs are allowed to use a cable run for up to 6 hours, but cables will not hold many dogs.

Taking into consideration the high cost of building an escape-proof fence or kennel -- and for many dogs, there is no such thing as "escape-proof" -- a tether is often the simplest, cheapest, and most effective way to contain a dog. When done properly, it is not cruel by any means. Tethers are also a necessary evil in situations where a number of dogs are kept, particularly those who must be kept seperated from one another to prevent fighting or uncontrolled breeding. Dogs can do both of those through a chain link fence, negating the option of using a kennel run. And keeping such dogs inside the home in crates is arguably more cruel than giving them the range of a sensible tether.

Please consider the little guy in this matter. Not all tethering scenarios are as bad as the animal rights campaign would have you believe. Animal welfare is better served by encouraging proper use of a tether rather than making it a criminal offense.

Lindsay B
--
Gravity APBTs

 

Good job!

 

works for me!
come on up, and let's get this party started!!!!

you can ask this gal for help:
opponents of the restrictive leash law countered with Katherine Houpt, a veterinarian from Cornell University who flew in for Monday's hearing.

She said that during a four-month study she conducted of sled dogs, such as huskies, there was no tangible behavioral difference between tethered and non-tethered animals.

 

Pay attention folks!

 

Fight fire with fire... http://www.pit-bull.org/Cornell_Study.pdf

Dogs have been kept on chains for 100s of yrs with no problem its when the AR folks get involved is when the problems start.

 

I am by no means a Dianne Jessup fan..... However I do beleive that she does have a decent site for information http://www.workingpitbull.com/tethering.html Should she be used as an allie...absolutely. Anyone that could be considered an expert.

Some of you deal in hounds (hunting dogs). How do you keep your hounds?

If any of you are involved on other working dog forums please pass this along. This bill will affect all working kennels that depend on tethering as a responsible way to manage their animals. This is not just an APBT problem....were just the example!

 

NCPrisonGuard, does this apply to all of NC or just your area?
I will try to get a letter out tomorrow to our representatives and senators...

My Boyfriend made a good point. He said that some representatives brother or something probably is in the Kennel business, and figured "hey, I could make more money if people weren't allowed to chain their dogs."