When a dog is chained, they can't run, tell you when they're hungry, step away from their own waste, untangle a strangling tether, or comprehend what it is like to be loved. For many yard dogs, life is not life at all, because how can you live when you are in chains? That is why Lowndes County's ordinance prohibiting tethers on dogs is such a big deal.
In order to fully grasp the meaning of this ordinance, you need to be conscious of the logic, ethics, and extensive work behind Lowndes County's fight for animal welfare. The Board of Commissioners of Lowndes County began looking into the new law several years ago, and they had several work sessions in January of 2015 recorded by Gretchen Quarterman for Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange (LAKE) that are available to the public eye on YouTube. The videos provide the county's reasoning for the ordinance, such as the sad realities of having a chained pet, including but not limited to: "exposure to extreme temperatures", "an inability to avoid its own waste", "aggression", and "dehydration". You can view the video(s) below for a thorough look at the presentations.
February 2016, the Board of Commissioners of Lowndes County drafted a rough discussion draft of The Lowndes County Animal Services Ordinance. The Lowndes Co. Animal Services Ordinance draft contains details and conditions under which an animal can ethically be kept and not kept in a yard with terms like the following: "it shall be unlawful for any person to chain or tether an animal to a stationary object". However, the draft also states that "an animal may be tethered to a cable run system", but only under a list of conditions; for example, an animal cannot be "tethered to a cable run during extreme weather" or for "any duration or durations likely to cause physical or mental suffering".
As of April 2017, after an extensive fight, the Board of Commissioners of Lowndes Co. and animal rights activists' push for anti-tethering became “billboard official”, right in the middle of town! If you have driven down North Ashley street within the last month, you probably noticed the large billboard now reading: "No Chains! It's Against the Law in Lowndes Co."
If you know of anyone violating this ordinance protecting Lowndes County's dogs, please call Lowndes County Animal Services at (229)671-2760 and report anonymously. For additional resources, you can look into BREAK the Chains in Lowndes County—Coalition for anti-tethering ordinance. Their page helps you (& myself) stay updated on the nature of the ordinance and other related laws and issues. This past March, the Coalition posted a status raising concerns about puppy mills and the possibility of restrictions on the anti-tethering ordinance.
The effectiveness of the ordinance depends on us, so we must actively enforce it as citizens, dog owners, animal lovers, and most importantly, morally-conscious people. Let's keep fighting for animal welfare locally for the sake of our pets. We must continue being the voice for those who don't have one.
Chaining a dog is ILLEGAL. Remember that.
