Wilton Manors Passes Law Prohibiting Pets from Being Chained Outdoors
By Elizabeth Baier
Sun-Sentinel.com
October 3, 2006 WILTON MANORS, FLORIDA - The city agrees with animal lovers who want to protect pets from being chained.
At a recent meeting, commissioners unanimously voted to pass a law that prohibits the confinement or tethering of an animal outdoors during periods of extreme weather or when a hurricane warning has been issued. Commissioner Gary Resnick was absent and did not cast a vote, but he had voted in favor of the measure on first reading.
The law stipulates that during normal weather, owners must provide dogs, cats and other pets with adequate shelter, periodic supervision and at least 150 square feet of space for exercise.
"I guess the bottom line is that there was a concern animals were being left out in Florida's weather for an extended period of time,"Commissioner Joseph Angelo said at the meeting.
Florida law already bans cruelty to animals, but Wilton Manors' new law would take animal protection a step further by making it harder for owners to tie up pets outdoors. Other cities such as Fort Lauderdale, Oakland Park, Dania Beach, Hollywood, Pembroke Park and Hallandale Beach have similar protections for animals.
Under the new law, any person who owns a dog, cat or other animal that is younger than 6 months cannot tie or chain the pet. Animals older than that may be tied up outdoors with a properly fitting collar, but not for more than 15 minutes between the hours of 10 a.m. and 5 p.m.The tether or chain must be at least three times the body length of the animal.
Commissioners emphasized that the new law isn't meant to restrict animal owners, but rather to protect pets left outdoors in extreme weather.
"If they are tied up and they have a shade tree and they have water, this is not what we are trying to go after," Commissioner Ted Galatis said. "It's going to be common sense. If a neighbor sees somebody tie a dog in the heat of day ... and the animal doesn't have food orwater, the neighbor may call the police."
The city's code enforcement department will be responsible for enforcing the law, and will rely on residents reporting any possible violations, according to Community Services Director Wayne Thies.
"We're not going to go around patrolling for this," Thies said.
The city will give residents a courtesy warning of 72 hours to come into compliance, according to Thies. If the chaining were to continue,code enforcement would file a violation and schedule the pet owner for a special magistrate hearing.
