News
UPDATE! Nevada: Restrict Unethical Tethering and Penning of Dogs
March 18, 2009, 6:32PM MT
By Cheri Moon
Committee Voting on May 6—Your Support Still Needed!
Committee Voting on May 6—Your Support Still Needed!
To All Nevada Residents
S.B. 132*, has passed the Senate!
Bill will now go before the Assembly Natural Resources, Agriculture and Mining Committee May 6 at 1:30 pm
(In Carson City, hearing will be at 401 S. Carson St, Room 3161. In Las Vegas, hearing will be at the Grant Sawyer Bldg, 555 East Washington Ave, Room 4406.)
Please contact Committee Members now to stop the harmful practice of chaining/penning dogs for lengthy periods of time.
1. Provide your name and address in your email or during the phone call.
Legislators want to know that you are one of the people they represent.
2. Ask committee members to support S. B. 132.
3. Give reasons and examples
Chose from the list below or share your own. Remember to be always be respectful and avoid being emotional. Talking points provided by Animal Law Coalition.
1) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention—Chained dogs are 5 times more likely to bite children, 3 times more likely to bite adults.
2) National Canine Research Council—Studies show that from 1965 – 2001, 25% of fatal dog attacks were from chained dogs.
3) Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine—both chained and penned dogs suffer from similar behavior problems.
4) HSUS—Dogs kept continuously outdoors, chained or penned, will suffer from the same boredom, loneliness and isolation leading to aggressive behavior.
5) Nicholas Dodman, Ph.D. in vet med/Tufts University—“chaining dogs makes them more aggressive. They are natural social animals and it induces ‘isolation-induced aggression’ and creates a ‘junkyard’ dog effect. They basically go mad."
Contact Information for Assembly Natural Resource, Agriculture and Mining Committee.
• Jerry Claborn –Chair: 775-684-8569, jclaborn@asm.state.nv.us
• Joseph Hogan–Vice Chair: 775-684-8541, sanjoe@embarqmail.com
• Paul Aizley: 775-684-8821, paizley@asm.state.nv.us
• David Bobzien: 775-684-8559, dbobzien@asm.state.nv.us
• Harvey Munford: 775-684-8545, hmunford@asm.state.nv.us
• James Ohrenschall: 775-684-8819, johrenschall@asm.state.nv.us
• Tick Segerblom: 775-684-8549, rsegerblom@lvcoxmail.com
• John Carpenter: 775-684-8831, jcarpenter@asm.state.nv.us
• Pete Goicoechea: 775-684-8573, pgoicoechea@asm.state.nv.us
• Tom Grady: 775-684-8507, tgrady@asm.state.nv.us
• Don Gustavson: 775-684-8851, dgustavson@asm.state.nv.us
Bill Highlights
• Limits tethering to 14 hours per day and forbids the use of choke, chain and prong collars in tethering or chaining dogs.
• A tether, tie, chain or other restraint must be at least 12 feet long.
• Dogs tied to a stationary object must have a restraint that allows the dog to move at least 12 feet.
• Dogs tied on trolleys or pulleys must be able to move a total of at least 12 feet.
• Tethers cannot reach a fence or other object that may cause the dog to become injured or die by strangulation after jumping the fence.
• Enclosures should be appropriate for the size and breed of the dog.
• The bill does not apply to dogs (1) kept by veterinarians or in a boarding facility or shelter or temporarily at a campsite or as part of a rescue operation, (2) being trained for hunting or used for hunting during hunting season, (3) entered in an exhibition, show, contest or the like; (4) living on land that is directly related to an active agricultural operation if the restraint is reasonably necessary to ensure the safety of the dog; (5) whose owners are engaged in a temporary task up to one hour.
*Best Friends Animal Society supports this legislation.
Stock photo by Clay Myers, Best Friends Staff
Posted by Cheri Moon, Best Friends Staff