In any neighborhood, on any street, around any corner, there is a good
chance you will see man’s best friend confined to the end of a chain.
Dogs are social beings. Simply
put, they like being around other animals and humans. These animals want companionship. Put a dog on a chain (or tether) and leave
him alone in one spot for days, months, or even years and he will suffer immensely,
both physically and psychologically.
If one takes a friendly dog and keeps him continuously chained, the
animal will often become aggressive. So
why does chaining increase aggression? When
confronted with perceived threats dogs respond, like most living creatures,
according to their fight-or-flight instinct. A chained dog, unable to take flight, will
feel forced to fight, attacking any unfamiliar animal or person who enters his
territory. These dogs cannot distinguish
between friend or foe, because they have not been adequately socialized. Unfortunately, the victims of attack are
often children who are unaware of the danger of approaching “the nice
doggy”. Furthermore, a tethered dog who may
manage to break loose from his bonds is likely to chase and attack anything in
its path, whether it be unsuspecting people or animals.
In addition, these chained dogs endure unbelievable hardship. They suffer from erratic feeding, overturned
water bowls, and have no, or limited access to, adequate medical care. It is not unusual to find a chained dog
starved, dehydrated, and ill because it had become entangled in its chain and
was unable to access food or water. They
also suffer from weather variations.
During periods of extreme cold, there is no warmth. Rarely is there
adequate shelter during heavy periods of rain and snow. When temperatures soar to triple digits, they
often do not have protection from the sun or sufficient, clean water to quench
their thirst. Moreover, because they are
in a very confined area, not only do
they sleep, defecate and eat all in one place but often it is nothing but a patch of hardened dirt or mud
that is rarely, if ever, cleaned.
In many cases, the ropes encircling their necks or the tight collars
worn become embedded, the result of years of neglect and constantly straining
to escape their bond of confinement. Chained
dogs are rarely given affection simply because their owners can easily ignore
them. As a result, approaching them becomes more and more difficult because
of the inadequate socialization.
In addition, dogs forced to live on a chain are very vulnerable to other
animals and cruel people. Many have
suffered immensely from the hands of merciless individuals. They have been shot at, set on fire, tortured
beyond endurance and poisoned. They are
very easy targets for thieves looking to steal animals for sale or use them for
dog fighting operations. As a final
indignity, the dog’s chain can easily become tangled, thus slowly strangling
him to death.
Under the California Health and Safety Code, Section 122335, it is
illegal to tether, fasten, chain, tie, or restrain a dog, to a doghouse, tree,
fence, or any other stationary object. It
is further prohibited to tether a dog to a running line, trolley, or pulley
with a choke collar or pinch collar. It
is legal to tether a dog for any activity not fitting into any exemption,
provided the restraining of the dog is necessary for the completion of a task,
is temporary, and lasts only for a reasonable period of time. The California law defines a reasonable period
of time as no more than three hours in a 24-hour period. Animal control, however, can authorize a
longer reasonable period in particular cases.
Violation of the dog-tethering laws in California is either an
infraction or a misdemeanor, depending on the severity. Upon conviction, an infraction is punishable
by a fine of up to $250 per illegally tethered dog. A misdemeanor violation carries a penalty of
up to $1,000 in fines per dog, six months in county jail, or both. Animal control does have the discretion to
issue a warning requiring a dog owner to correct the violation instead of
recommending criminal charges, but may
not issue a warning if the dog has been injured by the violation or a previous
warning has been issued.
Chaining is a terribly cruel fate for the animal we consider to be “Man’s best
friend”.
If the previous options do not work, consider using a trolley or pulley
that allows the animal to have freedom and a larger area to explore. While on any tether, be sure that it cannot
become entangled with or wrapped around any other object and that the dog is
able to move and lie down freely. Collars
used should be comfortable and properly fitted.
Choke chains and pinch collars are never to be utilized. In addition, never tether an animal during
any natural disaster situation. These
options are not perfect, because all the problems associated with chaining will
also apply, among which are attacks on or by other animals or people and
continued lack of socialization.
In addition, these chained dogs endure unbelievable hardship. They suffer from erratic feeding, overturned
water bowls, and have no, or limited access to, adequate medical care. It is not unusual to find a chained dog
starved, dehydrated, and ill because it had become entangled in its chain and
was unable to access food or water. They
also suffer from weather variations.
During periods of extreme cold, there is no warmth. Rarely is there
adequate shelter during heavy periods of rain and snow. When temperatures soar to triple digits, they
often do not have protection from the sun or sufficient, clean water to quench
their thirst. Moreover, because they are
in a very confined area, not only do
they sleep, defecate and eat all in one place but often it is nothing but a patch of hardened dirt or mud
that is rarely, if ever, cleaned. 
We are
growing, but, we need to grow more. The
more we grow, the more we can help these poor homeless, neglected and abandoned
animals. We cannot do it without YOUR HELP. 
The decision to stay or not stay with a pet is a very personal one. For some pet owners, the emotion may be too
overwhelming and they might feel their distress would only upset the pet. For some, it is a comfort to be with the
animal during his final moments. Neither
choice is right or wrong. What is best
for the owner is the correct decision and the vet will honor the choice. James Herriot stated a view of many
veterinarians in All Things Wise and Wonderful: "Like all vets I hated
doing this, painless though it was, but to me there has always been a comfort
in the knowledge that the last thing these helpless animals knew was the sound
of a friendly voice and the touch of a gentle hand." 
