Scotland Neck Bans Continuous Tethering of Dogs

Mayor and Commissioners Vote Unanimously to Protect Dogs Following a PETA Presentation

For Immediate Release:
July 1, 2016

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

On Tuesday, Mayor Eddie Braxton and Scotland Neck town commissioners voted unanimously in favor of a ban on leaving dogs chained or tethered unattended outdoors. The ban—which members of PETA’s Community Animal Project met with the commissioners about earlier this year—will go into effect on August 1.

“Scotland Neck’s chaining ban will protect dogs and the community alike by sparing dogs a lifetime of isolation and being chained,” says PETA Senior Vice President Daphna Nachminovitch. “PETA stands ready to help the community with free spay and neuter services as well as tips on taking dogs indoors to live with the rest of the family.”

PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to abuse in any way”—notes that dogs who are chained outdoors are forced to endure all weather extremes and spend their entire lives eating, sleeping, and eliminating in the same few square feet of space. They are also defenseless, which makes them easy targets for thieves, dogfighters, and neighbors who are annoyed by barking. In addition, chaining dogs—who are highly social pack animals—deprives them of social interaction, which can make them aggressive. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that chained dogs are nearly three times more likely to attack than dogs who are not chained.

PETA offers free or low-cost spay/neuter surgeries year-round. For more information, please visit PETA.org/SpayNeuter or PETA.org.