Hopkinton, Rhode Island

Sec. 4-46. – Care of dogs.

(a) No owner or guardian of a dog shall:

(1) Keep any dog on a permanent tether that restricts movement of the tethered dog to an area less than one hundred thirteen (113) square feet or less than a six (6) foot radius at ground level.

(2) Tether a dog with a choke-type collar or prong-type collar. The weight of any chain or tether shall not exceed one-eighth (⅛) of the dog’s total body weight.

(3) Keep any dog tethered for more than ten (10) hours during a twenty-four-hour (24) period or keep any dog confined in an area or primary enclosure for more than fourteen (14) hours during any twenty-four-hour (24) period, and more than ten (10) hours during a twenty-four-hour (24) period, if the area is not greater than that which is required under the most recently adopted version of the department of environmental management’s rules and regulations governing animal care facilities.

(4) Tether a dog anytime from the hours of ten o’clock p.m. (10:00 p.m.) to six o’clock a.m. (6:00 a.m.), except for a maximum of fifteen (15) minutes.

(5) Keep any dog outside, either tethered or otherwise confined, when the ambient temperature is beyond the industry standard for the weather safety scale as set forth in the most recent adopted version of the Tufts Animal Care and Condition Weather Safety Scale (TACC).