City Outlaws Dog-Chaining

Dog-chaining – or tying up a pooch with a rope, cord, or similar type of tether while unattended – will be illegal in Austin as of Oct. 1, thanks to a new ordinance enacted Thursday by City Council. The group Chain Free Austin has been campaigning for the measure since last September, citing a slew of studies that say chaining is unhealthy for dogs both physically and psychologically, as well as dangerous to people, especially children, as dogs are twice as likely to attack while chained. Exceptions include lawful animal events, grooming, training, and chaining when the owner is present and outside. If dogs can’t be brought inside to live, an outdoor living area that’s a minimum of 150 square feet is permissible – 10 feet by 15 feet would work, for example. Though a relatively cheap and simple do-it-yourself job, depending on your handiness, financial assistance for constructing dog enclosures is available to low-income residents by way of the Austin Community Foundation and Town Lake Animal Shelter. Chain Free Austin will have an online grant application available on its website by June 14, and assistance is available now from the Town Lake Shelter. For more information, including the full ordinance, go to Chain Free Austin's website.