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35 <br />Tethering Committee Report <br />July 30th, 2007 <br />county (Scotland) has the same ordinance as the city. They have a 90 percent compliance rate at this <br />point. <br />Laurinburg also has restrictions on pens size - 10x10 for smaller dogs, 20x10 for larger. Animal <br />control wants larger requirements, but the city council has not agreed. <br />ENFORCEMENT: 1-hour time limit verified by sitting and watching. Violators are given atwo- <br />week warning notice in general, but animal control uses discretion and will give some situations <br />more time if the dog is in good condition. Violation results in a civil citation and $100 fine. They <br />do have the power to impound dogs and feel this has been an important tool. <br />Most people comply with the law by putting up a pen. The Humane Society has provided some <br />pens to those who cannot afford it. Those that don't comply and have their dogs impounded must <br />pay shelter fee, vaccinations, etc. to get the dog back. Sometimes the shelter fee is waived. About <br />25 % reclaim their dog and the rest are better off anyway. <br />PHASE IN: The city had none-year education period before enforcement began. They educated the <br />community through fact sheets, newspaper, radio, posters, etc. <br />RESULTS OF ORDINANCE: Overall decrease in cruelty cases, cut down on pit bull problems, <br />decreased dog bites, and helped with overpopulation (penned dogs are not as easy to get pregnant). <br />Prior to the law, 50% of bites before were from chained dogs. No dramatic increase in surrenders. <br />and no real problems with people turning their dogs loose. <br />PUBLIC REACTION: Positive- most people think chaining is cruel. Those that don't agree are <br />those whose dogs are not well taken care of anyway. <br />Joaine McKeel, Shelter Manager <br />Catawba County Animal Care and Control, Catawba County <br />THE LAW: Catawba does not have a ban, just requirements on conditions for tethering. <br />ENFORCMENT: They don't receive complaints very often. When they do it is because of length <br />of chain. They educate people as to why they have the requirements, and will write citations for <br />violators. The ten percent of body weight requirement is assessed by eyeballing the situation. <br />Some officers feel comfortable and some don't with having to make judgments on the situations. <br />No citations have been challenged <br />RESULTS OF LAW: More chaining occurs in the rural area. Approximately 90 - 95% of people <br />are compliant. They have not seen an increase in animals being surrendered. More animals are <br />surrendered under the nuisance ordinance than the tethering ordinance. <br />28 <br />