This ordinance restricts tethering to a maximum of two hours in any 12-hour period. It provides additional protections, including a minimum tether length, and requires that tethered animals have access to shade, water, and food.
Chapter 136: Animals
Article IV: Tethering
§ 136-31 Required conditions.
It shall be unlawful for a responsible party to tether an animal while outdoors, except when all of the following conditions are met:
A. The responsible party is physically present on the premises while the animal is tethered.
B. The tether is connected to the animal with a collar or a body harness made of nylon or leather (no choke or pinch collars allowed).
C. The tether has the following properties:
(1) It must be at least five times the length of the animal’s body, as measured from the tip of the nose to the base of the tail, however in no event shall the tether be long enough to allow the animal to move outside the responsible party’s property.
(2) It terminates at both ends with a swivel.
(3) It is not weighted.
(4) It is free of tangles.
D. The animal is tethered so as to prevent injury, strangulation, or entanglement.
E. The animal is not outside during inclement weather.
F. The animal has access to shade by natural or artificial means to protect the animal from direct sunlight at all times when exposure to sunlight is likely to threaten the health of the animal.
G. The animal has access to water and food.
H. The animal is a least six months of age.
I. The animal is not sick or injured.
J. Pulley, running line or trolley systems are at least 15 feet in length and are less than seven feet above ground; however, in no event shall the tether be long enough to allow the animal to move outside the responsible party’s property.
K. If there are multiple animals, each animal is tethered separately, in a manner in which they cannot become entangled.
L. The animal is not tethered for more than two hours in a continuous twelve-hour period.
