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Tethering Committee Report <br />Public Safety Issues <br />July 30ei, 2007 <br />• Tethered dogs can and do pose a risk to the community. They can and do become highly <br />territorial and aggressive and present a significant risk of iroy to the public through dog <br />bites and attacks. <br />• Tedma -ed dogs are also a risk with regard to aggressive incidents or actual bites because; there <br />is not a physical barrier between a dog and a child or other community member. By <br />contrast, fences and kennels do create such barriers, thereby minimizing the risk a dog can <br />pose to neighbors or passersby (while at the same time protecting that dog from attacks by <br />other animals). <br />Community Concerns <br />• . Tethered dogs are at risk of unplanned and unwanted breeding, and thus they can contrrbuute <br />to the significant problem of pet overpopulation. They may have litters of unwanted puppies, <br />and also create problems by attracting and exciting other dogs (despite the requirement of <br />County ordinance that an animal that is "in season" be suitably contained and not kept <br />outside). <br />• Tethered dogs can negatively impact community life through nuisance barking. <br />Precedent <br />• There is ample precedent for the enactment of an ordinance to prohibit or restrict tethering; <br />at least 50 U.S. jurisdictions, including cities, counties and several states, halve passed such <br />laws. <br />• Several North Carolina jurisdictions —inehW ng Catawba, New Hanover, and Scotland <br />Counties, along with several North Carolina townships- ve soave level of tethering <br />limitation Cullently in platy? <br />• Ordinances that restrict or probrbit tethering have proved to be both enforceable and <br />effective in reducing animal cruelty complaints and incidents of dog bites. <br />3 Sm A.pp=Ax b North Carolina Counties and Townships with Te&wing Ordinances. <br />7 <br />57 <br />I� <br />