The bill would have prevented dog owners from using heavy chains or short tethers to restrain their dogs outside, and it would have allowed law enforcement officials to seize a dog that was in severe distress instead of requiring them to notify the owners and wait 24 hours. They bill even had exemptions for dogs engaged in farming, ranching or hunting, as well as dogs riding in the beds of pickups.
The bill was similar to laws in many other states, and not even as restrictive as requirements elsewhere — and some Texas cities, for that matter. It was the product of years of effort by state Sen. Eddie Lucio Jr., D-Pharr, who has been trying to get something like this passed for a long time. He finally did it in this session, getting bipartisan support in both chambers — 28-3 in the Senate and t83-32 in the House.
But Abbott suddenly whipped out his veto pen, complaining that the law “would compel every dog owner … to monitor things like the tailoring of the dog’s collar, the time the dog spends in the bed of a truck, and the ratio of tether-to-dog length, as measured from the tip of the nose to the base of the tail. … Texas is no place for this kind of micro-managing and over-criminalization.”
Abbott is overreacting. The goal is not to “micro-manage” pet owners but to ensure that dogs are not unnecessarily abused. Sadly, too many are in Texas, with some dogs tethered outside 24 hours a day regardless of weather.
That’s not just cruel, it’s life-threatening to a dog in extreme heat or cold. Rural sheriffs were particularly in support of this law because they can’t follow up on animal calls like city police officers with smaller territory to patrol. They know that giving an owner 24 hours to do something about a dog tethered outside under harsh conditions is often a death sentence for that animal.
And the quip about “micro-managing” pet owners is ironic, given Abbott’s enthusiasm for going into great detail on laws he supports. Most laws have similar language to make it as clear as possible what is prohibited and what is allowed. In fact, the executive director of the Texas Humane Legislation Network said the wording of the new law was needed to correct “vague language that makes the (present) statute completely unenforceable,”
Law enforcement officers also have discretion to let off an offender with a warning if he or she takes immediate steps to provide for a dog suffering outside on a tether.
It seems unlikely that Abbott would reconsider different wording of this bill in the special session, but Sen. Lucio should at least ask. In the meantime, city and county officials should do as much as they can in their jurisdictions to ensure the humane treatment of dogs and all animals.
The real responsibility lies with each pet owner; if they would make sure to avoid any kind of neglect or cruelty for their dogs, laws like this wouldn’t even be needed. Don’t tie up your dog outside; bring it into your home for the love and support it wants.