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SDAC: HELP: Animal cruelty favored by Miami-Dade Commissioners - WRITE

January 22nd, 2008 4:22 pm by Kelly

UPDATE, 2/5/08:

Here’s a more recent alert, with a sample letter, also from SDAC:

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ACT: Help abused dogs in Miami, Florida - WRITE
Posted by: SledDogAC [at] aol.com
Fri Feb 1, 2008 8:03 pm (PST)
Please write and forward widely

Sample letter and email block follow:

Chained dogs bake outside in the intense tropical heat and sun of Miami-Dade County. Imagine how painful it is for a dog when a scorching hot metal chain touches his paws, nose or genitals. Chained dogs are also subject to tropical storm and hurricane force winds. On Jan. 22, 2008, the Miami-Dade County Commission rejected a tethering ordinance that would have established humane conditions for tethering. The ordinance would have required people to be outside when their dogs are chained. Please help the chained dogs of Miami-Dade County by writing to the commissioners of Miami-Dade County.

Commissioner emails:

district11 [at] miamidade.gov, District4 [at] miamidade.gov, District12 [at] miamidade.gov, District3 [at] miamidade.gov, District9 [at] miamidade.gov, District6 [at] miamidade.gov, district5 [at] miamidade.gov, BMORRIS2 [at] miamidade.gov, District1 [at] miamidade.gov, District7 [at] miamidade.gov, District7 [at] miamidade.gov, District8 [at] miamidade.gov

Commissioner Seijas has no email. Fax her at 305-375-2011

Sample letter (Please personalize the letter. If you’re boycotting travel to Miami, please say so.)

Dear County Commissioners:

Miami wants to be known as a glamorous and fun tourist destination. A dog suffering on a chain in the hot tropical sun tarnishes this image. Please approve the tethering ordinance that was proposed Miami-Dade Animal Services, which would have imposed humane conditions for tethering, including requiring people to be outside when their dog is chained. I am shocked that in spite of all the evidence that demonstrates why chaining is cruel and inhumane, often making “vicious monsters” out of otherwise gentle and social animals, Miami-Dade County Commissioners refused to act on this important legislation, which would have restricted this cruel and archaic practice.

Dogs are social animals who instinctively want to be part of a group or pack. Leaving dogs chained outside makes them aggressive. The Center for Disease Control reported that chained dogs are 2.8 times more likely to bite. Dogs who are forced to live at the end of a chain are at risk from the elements: blistering heat, windstorms, rain and lightning. They are also vulnerable to attacks by other animals.

Numerous jurisdictions have enacted tethering ban ordinances because studies show that to do so is not only humane, but it also ultimately protects both dogs and people. I urge you to act at once to enact this ordinance that will improve the lives of so many neglected and abused animals.

Sincerely,

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—– Original Message —–
From: SledDogAC [at] aol.com
Sent: Tuesday, January 22, 2008 2:03 PM
Subject: HELP: Animal cruelty favored by Miami-Dade Commissioners - WRITE

Please crosspost widely

On Tuesday, January 22, the Miami-Dade County Commission refused to vote on the tethering ban ordinance that was proposed by the County’s Dept. of Animal Services. By refusing to vote, commissioners are allowing dogs to spend their lives on the end of a chain. Please don’t let this cruelty stand. Help the dogs by writing to Commissioners.

The Commissioner’s statements against the tethering ban showed that they didn’t care that chained dogs suffer terribly or that the AVMA, animal lovers and animal protection groups condemn tethering. They were only concerned about losing the votes of people who keep their dogs chained. Breeders and the AKC lobbied against the ban.

At the bottom of this alert is the ban introduced by Miami-Dade Animal Services.

WHAT YOU CAN DO:

Write and fax the Miami-Dade County Commissioners. Explain why chaining is cruel. Tell them to be humane and pass a ban that protects dogs. Other jurisdictions have enacted tethering ban ordinances. If you plan to boycott travel to Miami Beach and Miami until a good tethering ban is passed, please say so.

Commissioner emails:

Board of County Commissioners website: www.miamidade.gov/commiss/

Facts about chaining:

Continuous tethering makes dogs aggressive:

A 1994 study by the Centers for Disease Control found that chained dogs are 2.8 times more likely to bite.

The American Veterinary Medical Association said in 2003, “Never tether or chain your dog because this can contribute to aggressive behavior.”

When confronted with a threat, dogs instinctively run or fight. A chained dog, unable to flee, often feels forced to fight, attacking any unfamiliar animal or person who comes into his or her territory. Children have been injured or killed after going into a chained dog’s area, or encountering a dog who has broken free from a chain.

Continuous tethering is inhumane:

In 1996, The United States Department of Agriculture said, “Our experience in enforcing the Animal Welfare Act has led us to conclude that continuous confinement of dogs by a tether is inhumane.”

Tethered dogs are easy targets for attacks by other animals. They are killed or injured by extremes in weather, poisoned by humans, and made sick from animal feces or bird droppings. In many cases, the necks of chained dogs become raw and covered with sores from the dogs’ constant yanking and straining to escape confinement. Dogs have been found with collars embedded in their necks.

Dogs are social animals. Tethering inflicts cruelty on dogs by forcing them to live in solitary confinement, unable to interact normally. Lonely and isolated, chained dogs are know to bark excessively at all hours of the day and night.

The tethering ban proposed by Miami-Dade County Animal Services:

Sec. 5-21. Tethering of dogs.
(a) As used in this section, tether means to restrain a dog by tying the dog to any object or structure, including without limitation a house, tree, fence, post, garage, or shed, by any means, including without limitation a chain, rope, cord, leash, or running line. Tethering shall not include using a leash to walk a dog.
(b) It shall be unlawful for a responsible party to tether the dog while outdoors, except when all of the following conditions are met:
(1) The dog is in visual range of the responsible party, and the responsible party is located outside with the dog.
(2) The tether is connected to the dog by a buckle-type collar or a body harness made of nylon or leather, not less than one inch in width.
(3) The tether has the following properties: it is at least five times the length of the dog’s body, as measured from the tip of the nose to the base of the tail; it terminates at both ends with a swivel; it does not weigh more than 1/8 of the dog’s weight; and it is free of tangles.
(4) The dog is tethered in such a manner as to prevent injury, strangulation, or entanglement.
(5) The dog is not outside during a period of extreme weather, including without limitation extreme heat or near-freezing temperatures, thunderstorms, tornadoes, tropical storms, or hurricanes.
(6) The dog has access to water, shelter, and dry ground.
(7) The dog is at least six (6) months of age. Puppies shall not be tethered.
(8) The dog is not sick or injured.
(9) Pulley, running line, or trolley systems are at least 15 feet in length and are less than 7 feet above the ground.
(10) If there are multiple dogs, each dog is tethered separately.
(c) Nothing in this section shall be construed to excuse a violation of § 5-20 of this chapter.
(d) This section shall not apply to the transportation of dogs, and in the event of a conflict with § 5-15 of this chapter, § 5-15 shall govern

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Tagged: animals animal rights animal welfare action alerts SDAC SledDogAC Sled Dog Action Coalition tethering chaining pet companion animal dog canine Miami-Dade County Commission Miami-Dade Miami-Dade Animal Services chained dogs tethered dogs animal neglect