The recent dog attack in Simpsonville involving the animal control officer illustrates one of the major problems with chaining/tethering dogs for long periods of time. Although that particular dog was not chained at a house at the time of the attack, I am almost certain that is the way he lived his life. The way he was restrained inside the car was with a logging chain. According to a study, tethered dogs are nearly three times more likely to bite or attack than dogs that aren’t tethered.
Dogs are social animals and when tied up outside suffer from extreme isolation. At first it is boredom and loneliness but later turns into aggression. The lack of socialization creates fearful dogs who act quickly to defend their territory from all intruders, including small children. They can’t flee and have no other choice but to defend themselves.
Tethering/chaining a dog is also a cruel way to keep a dog. Tethered/chained dogs can’t protect themselves from the elements (from very hot summers to very cold winters,) other animals, or cruel people. Dehydration, heat stroke and hypothermia are common in tethered/chained dogs. Tethered/chained dogs frequently suffer from open sores where their collar has irritated the skin. Many times the collars become imbedded in the dogs’ neck and it has to be surgically removed. Infected sores can result in death. Tethers/chains become tangled and the dog can’t reach his water or shelter (many don’t have shelter). Tethered dogs are forced to eat, sleep and defecate all in the same place. Finally Tethered/ chained dogs are cared for less than dogs living in the home or a fenced yard. Many dogs aren’t given fresh clean water or food. They don’t receive exercise and rarely see a veterinarian. As a result tethered/chained dogs suffer from fleas, ticks and heartworms. Most tethered/chained dogs never receive a rabies vaccine. Female dogs on a chain or tether have no other choice but to have unwanted puppies several times a year.
Recently Greenville County Animal Control was called to check on a tethered dog. The dog had the tether wrapped around her leg. Animal Control took the dog from the owners. When the veterinarian examined the dog they determined the tether had been wrapped around her leg for a long time. They could not save the leg, it had to be amputated. A lot of rescue groups wanted to take her and find her a loving home, but she was so aggressive from being tied, neglected and not socialized that no rescue could take her. Sadly she had to be euthanized. Her name was Princess.
We need to promote responsible dog ownership. There are responsibilities that come with owning a dog. There is no public benefit to tethering a dog. There are many other ways to keep a dog other than chaining him/her to a tree.
PLEASE SIGN THE ONLINE PETETION Change.org (Search) Anti-tethering /
Breaking the Chains in
Greenville County ♦
