Tethering/Chaining

Fairfax City, Virginia

December 9, 2014

This ordinance prohibits tethering for longer than an hour. It also bans overnight tethering and tethering in extreme temperatures.

Sec. 6-3. – Tethering, tying, or chaining of companion animals.

(1) No person shall tie, fasten, chain, restrain or tether a companion animal to any fixed or stationary object, device or structure, or to any other object designed to confine and limit the movement of the companion animal, for a period in excess of one cumulative hour in any one day between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m.

(2) In addition to the foregoing limitation, no tying, fastening, chaining, restraining or tethering, as set forth in subsection (1) of this section, shall be permissible:

a. Between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m.;

b. With regard to any animal that is sick or injured;

c. With regard to any animal that is under four months of age;

d. When the ambient air temperature exceeds 90 degrees Fahrenheit or is at or below 32 degrees Fahrenheit in the immediate vicinity of the tying, fastening, chaining, restraining or tethering of the animal.

Any person who violates this section shall be subject to a civil penalty of $50.00, which shall not be suspended in whole or in part; however, any person found guilty of a violation of this section for a second or subsequent time (regardless of whether or not the companion animal is the same animal for each violation) shall be subject to a civil penalty of up to $250.00 for each additional violation.

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 Ingrid E. Newkirk

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