Harrisburg may not be on the leading edge of too many trends, but it can be proud of this: It is the first city in Pennsylvania to ban round-the-clock dog chaining.
In other words, dog owners can be cited—and lose their pets—if they tether them for extended period of time.
The goal of the ordinance, signed by Mayor Linda Thompson in May, is to alleviate the suffering of animals and boost the quality of life in the community.
“I wanted to have the strongest possible law,” said the bill’s author, City Councilman Brad Koplinski. “It’s another tool to prevent people from not taking care of their dog in extreme ways.”
Life isn’t pretty at the end of a chain. The abuse is no different than beating or starving an animal. It subjects dogs to extreme temperatures, rain and snow and eliminates socialization critical to their psychological health.
Chained dogs are far less likely to get veterinary care and far more likely to attack a passerby who innocently crosses their turf.
Not to mention that shackling a dog to a stake or porch rail can be—and has proved—fatal.
That doesn’t mean residents can’t put dogs on an appropriate tether for a potty break. Under the language, a dog may be tethered for the time it takes to “perform a task.”
“It gives animal control officers a lot of leeway,” said Koplinski. “This isn’t an effort to go after every instance of someone leaving their dog out for an hour, but to go after owners for whom leaving a dog outside is a form of neglect.”
The bill also restricts tethering during periods of inclement weather, including extreme heat (over 90 degrees) and cold (below 32 degrees) and forbids the use of choke collars and thick chains—which are not only cruel, but often the sign of dog-fighting operations, say animal welfare advocates.
In approving the ordinance, Harrisburg did what state lawmakers have failed to do and only a handful of municipalities (in York County) have done in less restrictive ways. Hazleton also bans dog chaining but allows an 8-hour window.
Animal lovers who have lobbied without success for a state law to ban dog chaining rejoiced at the news.
“Tethering is a huge problem,” said Zella Anderson, president of the Central Pennsylvania Animal Alliance, whose volunteers often respond to calls of animals in distress.
Anderson said the ordinance gives law enforcement a tool to remove dogs from an inhumane situation before it becomes life threatening. Tragically, between the time the council heard testimony on the bill and its final passage, a dog tied to a porch was found hanged.
Sarah Speed, state director for the Humane Society of the United States, says multiple chained dogs are often an indication of a dog-fighting ring, and such an ordinance gives humane law enforcement officers a right to enter the property.
Harrisburg animal control officer Fred Lemke said he has issued one citation since the ordinance took effect, a charge that carries a $350 fine and the possibility of losing your dog.
But he said he also is handing out copies of the ordinance in neighborhoods so residents understand the rules about proper dog-keeping. So far, Lemke said, he hasn’t had to return to houses where he has warned the owners about the new ordinance.
Already, Harrisburg is a model for other municipalities considering similar laws. Doylestown and Erie are considering following suit.
Supporters hope state lawmakers are watching.
Koplinski—who is running for lieutenant governor on a pro-dog platform (among other issues)—and Anderson say a decade of work in the Capitol has so far been for naught.
“Perhaps we can put pressure on the statehouse,” he said. There are bills banning around-the-clock tethering in both the House (HB 41) and Senate (SB 522), but neither has advanced beyond committee.
More than 100 communities in 30 different states have passed laws to regulate the tethering of animals.
Anderson said unchaining dogs benefits the dog and the community. People can rest easy without barking dogs and the potential health risks from unvaccinated animals that may be prone to biting. And, of course, the dog is healthier and happier.
Anderson said the Harrisburg law will help prevent more cases like Peanut, the senior pit bull that spent more than a decade on a chain. Volunteers knew about Peanut’s plight for years, but his owner skirted cruelty charges by complying with the bare minimum required under the law: a crude shelter and access to food and water.
“He was one of many tragic stories, chained outside living a life of hell,” said Anderson. “The laws in Pennsylvania are extremely lax.”
It wasn’t until Peanut developed multiple tumors—a clear indication it had not received veterinary care—that volunteers were able to get him removed from the house.
Unlike the tales of many chained dogs, Peanut’s story has a happy ending.
Thanks to fund-raising by CPAA, he got the surgery he needed and is now enjoying life—and a comfy spot on the sofa—with the family that opened their hearts and home to him.
