Vicki
Administrator
County may outlaw tethering of dogs
Published Thursday, August 20, 2009
By Sarah Fay Campbell
The Times-Herald
Coweta County will be considering an ordinance that bans the continuous chaining of dogs.
Commissioner Randolph Collins asked the board to consider such an ordinance at Tuesday's commission meeting.
Forsyth County recently enacted an ordinance that prohibits "tethering" as the primary form of restraint, and Collins said he has been speaking to Coweta County Prison Warden Bill McKenzie, who is also the director of the county's animal control department, about the issue.
"It is something that he has been trying to address, but it has always been pushed to the back" burner, Collins said.
He asked county staff to draw up an ordinance that the commissioners could then consider.
Collins said Wednesday that he expects McKenzie, with assistance from County Attorney Jerry Ann Conner, will come up with an ordinance.
Collins said he envisions an ordinance that would allow tethering for a limited time but not "something where the dog is always tethered to something."
Putting dogs on "runners" would likely be allowed. A runner typically consists of a long line or cable stretched between two posts, trees, etc. A short line, connected by a pulley to the long line, is attached to the dog's collar, allowing the dog to run freely along the length of the long line.
Collins said he expects McKenzie, Conner, and other staff members to look at various anti-tethering ordinances, and "they may use the Forsyth ordinance as an example," he said.
Once an ordinance is drawn up, the commissioners can discuss the details.
"The whole purpose is to avoid the abuse of animals ... it's something we have been meaning to do," Collins said.
"We know we have problems."
http://www.times-herald.com/Local/County-may-outlaw-tethering-of-dogs-834874
Published Thursday, August 20, 2009
By Sarah Fay Campbell
The Times-Herald
Coweta County will be considering an ordinance that bans the continuous chaining of dogs.
Commissioner Randolph Collins asked the board to consider such an ordinance at Tuesday's commission meeting.
Forsyth County recently enacted an ordinance that prohibits "tethering" as the primary form of restraint, and Collins said he has been speaking to Coweta County Prison Warden Bill McKenzie, who is also the director of the county's animal control department, about the issue.
"It is something that he has been trying to address, but it has always been pushed to the back" burner, Collins said.
He asked county staff to draw up an ordinance that the commissioners could then consider.
Collins said Wednesday that he expects McKenzie, with assistance from County Attorney Jerry Ann Conner, will come up with an ordinance.
Collins said he envisions an ordinance that would allow tethering for a limited time but not "something where the dog is always tethered to something."
Putting dogs on "runners" would likely be allowed. A runner typically consists of a long line or cable stretched between two posts, trees, etc. A short line, connected by a pulley to the long line, is attached to the dog's collar, allowing the dog to run freely along the length of the long line.
Collins said he expects McKenzie, Conner, and other staff members to look at various anti-tethering ordinances, and "they may use the Forsyth ordinance as an example," he said.
Once an ordinance is drawn up, the commissioners can discuss the details.
"The whole purpose is to avoid the abuse of animals ... it's something we have been meaning to do," Collins said.
"We know we have problems."
http://www.times-herald.com/Local/County-may-outlaw-tethering-of-dogs-834874