Dog Owner Fights For Pet Protection
First Coast News
June 25, 2007 - ORANGE PARK, FL -- Leaving pets tied up outside for more than three hours could soon be a thing of the past.
Betty Rammon, who owns a pet sitting business, will ask the Clay County Commission for an ordinance to make it illegal to leave pets tethered for more than three hours without supervision.
"I'm trying to give them a better quality of life," Rammon told First Coast News.
Rammon has already helped six dogs who were chained up for several years. One of her dogs, Mack, was tethered every day, 24 hours a day, for six years. When she adopted the golden retriever, he was missing most of his teeth because he tried to chew through his chain.
Dr. Michal Harris warns about other problems dogs could experience if they are left alone: "digging holes, trying to run away, barking sometimes, because they're just not used to long periods of time without attention."
Nearby communities, like Jacksonville, allow dogs to be tied up if the chain meets certain requirements of length and weight. The dog also must have access to water, food, and shelter.
Retired Sheriff's Office Lt. Jim Crosby says about a quarter of fatal dog attacks result from an animal being tethered for a long period of time.
He supports the ordinance and hopes it will also penalize owners who leave their dogs tied up.
The Clay County Commission will discuss the issue at its meeting Tuesday afternoon.
