ANIMAL LEGISLATION GROUP: TETHERING BILL THAT FAILED LAST SESSION IS COSTING LIVES THIS SUMMER

Austin, TX – July 20, 2018 – As the temperatures rise across Texas, the number of animals who are dying because of extreme heat and lack of adequate shelter is also climbing, said the state’s leading animal welfare legislation group.
 
“We’re hearing horror stories from McAllen to Abilene to Lubbock,” said the Texas Humane Legislation Network’s executive director Laura Donahue Halloran. “Animals are being left outdoors, on chains, without sufficient shade and water, and they are suffering cruel deaths that could be prevented.”
 
Donahue Halloran said her organization is preparing to reintroduce a bill in the 2019 legislative session – “the tethering bill” – which aims to improve Texas’ current law for animals living on chains.
 
The legislation includes important language to define the term “adequate shelter,” something the current tethering law lacks. Under a stronger law, law enforcement would be able to act when an animal in distress does not appear to have proper shelter or water.
 
A few recent Texas cases highlight the need for passage of a stronger tethering bill:
 
Removed due to the disturbing nature of the incidents
 
“We need a clear, enforceable statewide law that will send a message to all Texans: when you chain up your dog and leave them without shade and water, you’ll be breaking the law,” Donahue Halloran said.
 
Though the bill language they hope to introduce will protect animals year-round, Donahue Halloran said it’s in the summer months when cruelty investigators regularly encounter dogs that have died from starvation, dehydration, and heat exhaustion, often on chains.
 
Currently, some cities and counties have local ordinances, but they often vary and are inconsistent. Meanwhile, the current tethering law is in need of strengthening because it is hard to enforce due to arbitrary requirements written into the law when it first passed in 2007.
 
THLN is asking pet owners across the state to take extra precaution to keep their pets safe, ensuring they have access to water, food, and adequate shelter during these hot summer months.