ORD-2008-069 - Proposed Animal Ordinance Amendment on the Tethering of Dogs

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r- I am also a mother, raising my children in this community, and a humane educator. As well as the huge safety factor for children around chained dogs, it is important for our children to learn empathy for everything around them, to grow up to be caring, contriputing citizens. Successful humane education programs focus on helping children relate to the animals in their environment and to respect and care for them. Living with a dog chained at the bottom of the garden desensitizes our children to the needs of animals and conveys the wrong message to them. Chained dogs are often the victims of taunts from neighborhood children, a terrible situation for the dog and an incorrect learning experience for the child. So I respectfully ask you to disallow the permanent tethering of dogs in Orange County, for the safety of our children, for the humane treatment of dogs and for Orange County to become a caring, compassionate, community for all. Jane Marshall' Emily Weinstein thanked everyone for the work on the ordinance and said that she believes that animals do have rights. She has fenced her yard and her dogs come in and out of her house. She supports this ordinance. Lauren Knapp- Resnik lives in Hillsborough and she thinks that everyone agrees with no cruelty to animals, and she is a total animal lover. She lives on 20 acres and has horses, chickens, dogs, cats. She has one dog that is tethered, because she is over protective of him because of an accident that he had while he was running free. She is against this ordinance because it is not a solution to this problem. She thinks that the ordinance should be on a case - by -case basis. Loren Hart is a UNC Alum and a resident of Orange County. He is here as an advocate for all animals, human and otherwise. He said that animals can feel pleasure, pain, fear, and loneliness. He suggested that if the County Commissioners pass this. ordinance, then they will help to create a kinder and gentler world, a world that is more just, more peaceful and more loving. He said that chaining dogs for long periods is a form of abuse and should be stopped. He suggested that humans should not exploit animals for any reason. Joseph Clees is a representative of the N.C. Sporting Dogs. He represents 12 different counties. He said that this is a very controversial issue. He said that he has watched Chair Jacobs, and he has talked with sensitivity and compassion. He complimented Chair Jacobs on this. He said that he can see some fundamental flaws that there are segments of the population that feel that they have not had an adequate public process. He said that there are members on both sides of the issue that feel fear and intimidation. He asked the County Commissioners to please not fall into an animal rights agenda. He said that it is.the responsibility of humans to protect these animals and take care of them. He encourages the County Commissioners to have at least 3-4 public hearings. Suzanne Roy lives in Hillsborough and was on the Tethering Committee. She said that the committee held two public hearings and invited members who are opposed to this ordinance to come onto the committee, and she does not know of any applications. She thinks that the committee has listened. She does not think that there is any question that tethering dogs is inhumane. She read a quote from the Dog Whisperer, "Chaining is a very dangerous and cruel practice. The more tightly a dog is chained, the more pent up energy he will have. The more pent up energy, the more aggression. A frustrated dog on a chain becomes a weapon and is nearly three times more likely to attack or bite a person than a dog that is simply loose in the yard." She believes that this ordinance has broad community support. Chad Resnick said that one of the people that spoke said that dogs on chains have a tendency to bite people. His response to that is to teach children not to go near dogs that they do not know. His dog has a 45 -foot lunge line with a 12 -foot lead on it and has a heated and