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from Chapel Hill and are not going to be affected by this. He said that he has dogs on chains <br /> at his house, and they will not stay in pens. <br /> Frank Tilley is opposed to the tethering ordinance. He said that there are surveys that <br /> say that dogs on chains become aggressive. He has seen plenty of aggressive dogs in pens. <br /> He has trained dogs for 12 years and you can make any dog aggressive and it is not just <br /> because it is on a chain. A dog can be happy on a chain just as much as he is in a pen. <br /> Suzanne Roy was a member of the Tethering Committee and the ASAB. She would <br /> like to answer any of their questions rather than referring it back to the Tethering Committee. <br /> She said that neglected dogs can be anywhere, but there are special circumstances that make <br /> tethering an issue that should be a policy decision — lack of a barrier, protecting the people <br /> from the dog, etc. She said that it is a situation similar to having an uncovered or unfenced <br /> pool. It is both a lure and a danger to children. She said that 175 children in the last four <br /> years have been killed or injured by chained dogs. She made reference to the people that <br /> would have to make changes if this ordinance is passed, and she said that these were people <br /> that the Tethering Committee had in mind when it recommended the 18-month phasing period. <br /> Regarding the hunting committee, there are very strongly held beliefs against government <br /> regulation related to animal welfare. She respects those beliefs, but she does not agree with <br /> them. She said that they believe that animals are property and they each should have a right <br /> to do what they want with their animals. She said that animals are not property, and there is a <br /> public interest in protecting them. She said that some other opponents here are out-of-county <br /> paid lobbyists and Pit Bull breeders. She said that Sandi Coy, who spoke earlier, is a Pit Bull <br /> breeder and has animal cruelty charges pending against her in Kentucky. Another person is <br /> Andrea Press, who is also a Pit Bull breeder, who sells dogs with known dog fighting blood <br /> lines. Ms. Press led the unsuccessful effort to overturn the New Hanover County law, and she <br /> moved from that county after she was cited for illegally tethering dogs. She said that animal <br /> cruelty is a serious issue, and as a community, they should take a stand against it. Orange <br /> County needs this law, and she hopes that the County Commissioners will pass it. <br /> Arielle Schechter has been in Orange County since the early 1960's and she fully <br /> supports the anti-tethering ordinance. She said that it is overdue. <br /> Kris Bergstrand spoke on behalf of Jean Alston, who is a member of the Tethering <br /> Committee and is in support of the ordinance amendment. <br /> Elise Roosevelt lives in Hillsborough. She has been in Orange County for eight years <br /> and she is a lifelong animal owner of dogs and cats. She strongly supports the anti-tethering <br /> ordinance because what she has personally seen and what she has read. She said that it is <br /> important to remember that this is about both public safety and humane treatment of animals. <br /> She referred to the USDA ruling prohibiting tethering as a method of primary enclosure. She <br /> said that this is about 24/7 enclosure and not 2-3 hours. She said that cruelty comes in many <br /> forms, and this is only one tool. She said that this is about the welfare of animals and the <br /> safety of the community and not about people's professions and financial welfare. <br /> Lori Hensley is opposed to chaining dogs. <br /> Robert Hensley said that he is a volunteer with the Coalition to Unchain Dogs. In the <br /> past year, they have built 50 fences in Orange, Durham, and Wake Counties and have <br /> removed approximately 85 dogs from chains. He showed some pictures. He said that one <br /> thing that disturbs him is that Ms. Coy was charged with cruelty to animals. He read something <br /> from his PDA, including that one dead dog still on a chain was found on her property. He also <br /> acknowledged that Andrea Press was involved in breeding dog fighters, as mentioned above. <br /> Sitting next to Ms. Press is another paid lobbyist, Mr. McClees, from the North Carolina <br /> Sporting Dogs Association. He spoke in support of the anti-tethering ordinance. <br /> Mickey Oliver has lived in Orange County for over 46 years. He said that this is a <br /> touchy situation here and the Board of County Commissioners appreciates the work of the <br />