URGENT TEXAS RESIDENTS!! Please Make CHAINING COMPLETELY ILLEGAL IN TEXAS!!! Hearing April 21st

April 18, 2009

PLEASE CROSS POST TO EVERYONE YOU KNOW - NETWORKING GETS RESULTS!

PLEASE COME TO AUSTIN, TX on Tuesday, April 21st to show support for a bill to TOTALLY BAN CHAINING IN THE ENTIRE STATE OF TEXAS!!!! The breeders and dog fighters and hunters are out in full force to fight it. We MUST have a stong presence!!!!

This is so, so important to millions of dogs. If California can do it, so can we. This bill does NOT have a time limit, so it is totally enforceable!

Details below. If you plan to attend, please contact Nili at niloofar.asgharian (Close spaces in email if they occur in transmission of this email).

ACTION ALERTSB 634 Set for Hearing Tuesday, April 21st, 2009Contact the Legislators Listed Below and Tell Them To Pass SB 634!

Background

How does tethering or chaining dogs pose a danger to humans? Dogs tethered for long periods can become highly aggressive. Dogs feel naturally protective of their territory; when confronted with a perceived threat, they respond according to their fight-or-flight instinct. A chained dog, unable to take flight, often feels forced to fight, attacking any unfamiliar animal or person who unwittingly wanders into his or her territory.Numerous attacks on people by tethered dogs have been documented. The Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association reported that 17% of dogs involved in fatal attacks on humans between 1979 and 1998 were restrained on their owners' property at the time of the attack, and the book Fatal Dog Attacks states that 25% of fatal attacks were inflicted by chained dogs of many different breeds.Tragically, the victims of such attacks are often

childrenwho are unaware of the chained dog's presence until it is too late.. Furthermore, a tethered dog which finally does get loose from his chains may remain aggressive, and is likely to chase and attack unsuspecting passersby and pets. But how else can people confine dogs? If an animal must be housed outside at certain times, he should be placed in a suitable pen with adequate square footage and shelter from the elements. Why is tethering dogs inhumane? Dogs are naturally social beings which thrive on interaction with human beings and other animals. A dog kept chained alone in one spot for hours, days, months, or even years suffers immense psychological damage. An otherwise friendly and docile dog, when kept continuously chained, becomes neurotic, unhappy, anxious, and often aggressive. In many cases, the necks of chained dogs become raw and covered with sores, the

result of improperly fitted collars and the dogs' constant yanking and straining to escape confinement. Some chained dogs have collars embedded in their necks, the result of years of neglect at the end of a chain. What is current law? Current law includes a tethering prohibition only between the hours of 10pm and 6am. However, animal control officers (ACOs), who are most likely to enforce this statute, generally only work 8am to 5pm Monday through Friday. As a result, this statute is largely unenforceable. In addition, the current statute allows tethering for a time not to exceed three consecutive hours. This time limit forces ACOs to maintain a watch of a dog on a tether for three consecutive hours of an eight hour workday to the detriment of their other duties. Removing the three hour provision would also improve the chances of enforcement. Who says permanent

tethering is bad? In a May 2003 press release for Dog Bite Prevention Week, the American Veterinary Medical Association states, "Never tether or chain your dog because this can contribute to aggressive behavior." A study by the Centers for Disease Control, "Which Dogs Bite?" found that chained dogs are 2.8 times more likely to bite. The dogs most likely to bite are male, unneutered, and chained.

What the Bill Does

The bill removes the 10pm -6am time frame from existing law thereby making the statute more enforceable while also improving the general condition in which dogs are kept throughout any given 24 hour period. The bills would also set a standard of 150 square feet for any permanent dog enclosure. The 150 square foot standard is based on requirements already in effect in city ordinances in Austin, Dallas and San Antonio. That standard also ensures that a dog will have room to move while still having area enough for shelter, food, water, and defecation within its permanent enclosure. The bill would not prohibit a person from walking a dog with a hand-held leash if the dog's owner or handler is physically present and in proximity to the dog at all times so that the owner or handler may exercise immediate physical control over the dog at any time. If you

absolutely can't make it to the hearing, please take five minutes right now to call or email the Senate Criminal Justice Committee to voice your support for SB 634 which will protect children and animals. Use the link below to contact the members of the Committee to educate them about why these bills are needed. If spaces occur in the transmission of this message, please close them and click to email.

The members of that committee are: Sen. John Whitmire (Chair) (512) 463-0115 John.Whitmire

Sen. Kel Seliger (Vice Chair

and Author of SB 634, be

sure to thank him!) (512)463-0131

Kel.Seliger

Sen. John Carona (512) 463-0116

John.Carona

Sen. Rodney Ellis (512) 463-0113

Rodney.Ellis

Sen. Glenn Hegar (512) 463-0118

Glenn.Hegar

Sen. Juan Hinojosa (512) 463-0120

Juan.Hinojosa

Sen. Dan Patrick (512)463-0107

Dan.Patrick

PLEASE CALL, WRITE/FAX OR EMAIL EACH OF THEM TO SUPPORT THE BILL. ASK YOUR FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS TO DO THE SAME. AS ALWAYS, PLEASE BE COURTEOUS AND POLITE WHEN COMMUNICATING WITH SENATORS AND THEIR STAFF.

TEXAS HUMANE LEGISLATION NETWORKPromoting the humane treatment of animals throughlegislation, education and advocacy.Visit us at www.thln.org.P.O. Box 685283 Austin, TX 78768-5283action_alertswww.thln.org888.548.6263