For the past five months, Hall County's animal control officers have tried to educate pet owners on the best ways to safely restrain their pets - apart from chaining or tethering the animals. Come Wednesday, May 1, the grace period for the county's new anti-tethering ordinance ends, and violators will find themselves facing punishment.
According to the Hall County Government Code pertaining to animals, it is illegal to tether a canine and leave the animal unattended.
The law, adopted in October 2018 and placed on the books on Nov. 1, 2018, reads "It shall be unlawful for the owner of a canine or one who has a canine in his possession to restrain or leave unattended by means of anchoring with a chain, cable, rope, leash, runner, cord or similar tethering device."
David Jones, the Assistant Director of Hall County Animal Control, said his officers have not used to grace period specifically looking for violators. Rather, they have taken the opportunity to educate dog owners when are called to investigate other problems - a barking nuisance, for example - and found a tether in use.
"If we get there and find the dog is on a chain, and that's its full-time restraint, then we hopefully by educating and taking that option away from them, it also take care of the noise complaint," Jones said.
Jones noted that dogs that are restrained for long periods of time often will bark excessively; he said the animals suffer physical and emotion distress when they are tethered in one place too long. He noted a properly sized kennel or fenced-in area is a much better option for dogs who need to spend some time outdoors.
Jones said while the grace period is over May 1, his officers will continue to educate when they find violations. As far as penalties for violators, he said that will be up to the courts.
"I would assume it would fall in with the standard fine for a dog running loose or other first time offenses for animal ordinance violations," Jones said.
Read more about the process of enacting the anti-tether ordinance via the links below:
