Update: Urge Clinton County Officials to Hold a Public Hearing for Dog Tethering Law

Update (June 27, 2025): Although support from the community was strong at the June 11 meeting, the Clinton County Legislature members were split, with five voting in favor of the public hearing and five voting against holding a public hearing to consider an ordinance protecting dogs kept chained outdoors 24/7. Local activists will not stop fighting for dogs and we will keep you posted on their progress.

Original post:

Local activists in Clinton County, New York, have been pushing for better protections for dogs since December 2023, inspired by the plight of a husky named Daisy who spent her entire existence and eventually died at the end of a chain. Despite receiving dozens of complaints about her situation every year, local authorities claimed their hands were tied because it was not illegal to keep a dog chained outside 24/7. The proposed local law would be the first one in the county to address animal welfare and provide stricter protections than current state law by defining how and when dogs may be confined outdoors, including prohibiting tethering from 11pm to 6am and not allowing dogs to be left tethered or inside pens during extreme weather. It would provide animal control officials the opportunity to educate county residents on their responsibilities as animal owners and allow for neglectful individuals to be held accountable for inhumane treatment that is not clearly defined by state law.

Dogs kept outside 24/7, whether chained or penned, can suffer from hypothermia and frostbite in the winter; heat stroke, fly strike, and flea, tick, and mosquito infestations in the summer; and dehydration, malnutrition, internal parasites, injuries, and various illnesses all year round. Chained dogs especially are at risk of attack by other animals and even cruel people. Dogs kept chained are also prone to painful embedded collars and death by hanging when tethers becomes tangled or caught on something like a fence, porch railing, or vegetation in their living area. Since dogs are social animals, they also suffer from the stress and trauma of intense confinement and isolation.

The Clinton County Legislature has allegedly refused to consider voting on the proposed law and has apparently denied residents the ability to speak about it during the public comment period of a meeting. On June 11, legislators are expected to vote on a resolution that will decide whether to hold a formal public hearing. The public hearing would allow members of the community to express their opinions and could help push the Legislature to finally vote on whether to enact it.