It’s always terrible to see a dog chained up outside for a long period of time. That’s especially true during extreme weather, such as what parts of the United States are living through right now. Yet because the U.S. has a hodgepodge of different state laws, many localities do not sufficiently address animal abuse. Of the 50 states, only five have weather-specific language in their anti-tethering laws. Another 18 have specifications about how to tether or how long is not okay (usually longer than 10-hour stints). California is the only state to be fully anti-tethering. And right now, countless dogs are freezing to death across the country.
When they’re tethered, pets have no way to escape if something bad happens, like a natural disaster or violence from a stranger or another animal. Tethering can also cause dogs to get tangled up and stuck in their chains, and often they don’t have food, water, or sources of shelter within their reach for long periods of time. All of these scenarios become more deadly when extreme hot or cold is involved. That’s why we need to take action now to make sure no dogs freeze this winter season! Please sign the petition demanding that all states implement laws that explicitly prohibit chaining dogs outside in harsh weather.