Use an Outdoor Kennel not a Chain (Utah Law Proposal)

How long is too long to have your dog on a chain? This is being debated in Salt Lake County where they are trying desperately to put a law on the books limiting the amount of time before it becomes a crime. The proposed limit they have set is that owners cannot keep their animals chained for more than 10 hours. This proposal would make it a class B misdemeanor with up to a $1,500 fine. The Humane Society of Utah is backing this piece of legislation and with good cause. If you are going to tether a dog all the time, why own one? Dogs deserve a  nice outdoor dog kennel where they have some freedom without dragging a chain around or worse yet being tied on a short leash.

Nothing breaks your heart more than to watch news clips where the dog has been left tied to a post without water and food for a long period of time and is all bone. The proposal also includes a statement that pet owners would be barred from keeping a dog anchored outdoors during extreme cold or extreme heat. Most of this is just good common sense. You don’t want to kennel a Siberian Husky in a space that would be more compatible to a French Poodle. And by the same token, you would not leave your newly trimmed French Poodle outside in freezing weather nor put your Siberian Husky under a sun lamp. Just be responsible if you want to own and nurture a pet.

As dog lovers, we know that we do our pets a disservice by not taking proper care of them. Leaving an animal unattended to roam the neighborhood is not healthy and leaving them chained up to a fence is worse. Dogs left free to roam tend to chew on anything that looks like it might taste good or run. They can end up getting cut on wires or broken glass or worse. For the safety of your animal, please give him the courtesy of a well maintained kennel. Don’t come home and turn your dog loose. Neighbors do not like to have them relieve themselves on their property and a responsible owner will see that this does not happen. It is your responsibility as a dog owner to keep his den or kennel free of fecal matter. Hose it down as often as possible. Be sure to leave plenty of clean water inside the kennel so he can quench his thirst. Clean those water dishes with hot soapy water at least once a week to prevent the build up of hard water and bacteria. The same goes for his feed dish – Keep them clean.