The holiday season can be a time of great joy for many of us, but for hundreds of companion animals each year, the winter months bring unnecessary suffering and, in the most horrific cases, potentially even death. Pet tethering is still perfectly legal in most U.S. states, putting our furry companions at heightened risk of getting sick or dying as they are left outside unattended in freezing weather.
We know that tethering dogs at all can be harmful to them for a variety of reasons. Pets that are tied up are left prone to strangulation, vulnerable to attacks from other animals or humans, and leaves them anxious, unable to move freely, and thus more likely to show signs of aggression. And these harms are amplified in winter months in North America, and there is no excuse for state legislatures that allow this practice to continue. Sign the petition to demand laws protecting animals!