Rainbow City, Alabama

Sec. 6-27. – Fastening animals with rope, chain or choker collar.

(a) No animal shall be hitched, tied or fastened by any rope, chain or cord that is directly attached to the animal’s neck. Animals that must be tied, hitched or fastened to restrain them must wear a properly fitted collar or harness made of leather or nylon, not of the choker type. This does not prohibit the proper use of choker collars in the training of animals. The tying device shall be attached to the animal’s collar or harness and shall be at least ten feet in length and must have a swivel device on the anchor and collar end to prevent tangling.

(b) No person shall chain their dog using a collar exceeding 1½ inches wide for any dog weighing less than 60 pounds. Dogs weighing 60 pounds or more shall not be tethered using a collar exceeding two inches in width.

(c) A person shall not chain or tether a dog with a chain or tether that weighs more than one-eighth of the dog’s body weight.

(d) No person shall tether their female dog while the dog is in estrus.

(e) An animal that is tethered must have access to adequate shelter at all times.

(f) Leaving a dog outside and unattended by use of a restraint that unreasonably limits the dog’s movement in the case of extreme weather conditions, including conditions in which the actual or effective outdoor temperature is below 32 degrees Fahrenheit; a heat advisory has been issued by a local or state authority or jurisdiction; or a hurricane, tropical storm, or tornado warning has been issued for the jurisdiction by the National Weather Service constitutes a misdemeanor, punishable in accordance with this article.