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A Virginia legislator seeks restrictions on pet owners who chain their dogs, saying change would cut canine aggression. Date published: 12/12/2006
By MICHAEL ZITZ RICHMOND--Does chaining make Fido fierce? Fewer children might be maimed and killed in dog attacks if we treat "man's best friend" as a member of the family, a Virginia legislator says. Algie T. Howell Jr., a Democratic delegate from Norfolk, will introduce a bill in the General Assembly next month that would make it illegal for pet owners to chain their dogs for more than three hours a day. The state of California passed a similar law in September. "Chaining a dog is not only inhumane," Howell said, "but, in my view, makes the dog more aggressive." His contention is supported by a recent study authored in part by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta. It showed that chained dogs are nearly three times more likely to attack. The victims are most often children. In 2002, according to the CDC, chained dogs killed as many children as gun accidents. And a 1994 study authored by the CDC concluded that, "Biting dogs were significantly more likely to be chained." Since 2003, the media has reported 104 Americans being injured or killed by chained dogs--75 percent of the victims children. The actual number "Chaining dogs makes them more aggressive--the shorter the chain, the greater the aggression," said Nicholas H. Dodman, a Ph.D. in veterinary medicine at Tufts University in Grafton, Mass. Dodman, author of the book "Dogs Behaving Badly," is director of the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts. He said in a telephone interview that keeping dogs inside as part of a family unit greatly reduces the chance of attacks. Chaining dogs--naturally social animals--induces "isolation-induced aggression, " and creates a "junkyard dog" effect, he said. "They basically go mad," Dodman said, when chained for extended periods of time. People for Ethical Treatment of Animals in Norfolk has launched a TV public service announcement taped by Virginia Beach resident Alice Conner, whose 2-year-old cousin Jonathan Martin of Suffolk was killed in October 2005 by his family's chained dog.
Date published: 12/12/2006
I hate to see dogs chained up, I am a region 6 representative for Dogs Deserve Better. We must change our state laws to stop this cruel practice, but we must include in these laws a minimum pen size for the dogs because as soon as you ban chaining, they will be forced into tiny pens, which restricts movement more.
Pass this law.
We need more people to stand up and make their voices heard. I live in Henrico County and have had an ongoing problem with a chained dog. The dog got loose recently and attacked my family pet. Animal Control stated that since the dog was not mauled or killed they could do nothing. The next incident the dog got loose and charged me, still Animal Control does nothing! The owner of the dog has been reported for not feeding and watering the dog and still nothing is done.Does this dog have to kill to get results
I agree totaly. I am a Rep with Dogs Deserve Better and have benn trying to educate people about this subject. There is all the proof you need on our web site of how chaining effects a dogs temperment. Please visit us at WWW.DOGSDESERVEBETTER.COM. I am so happy that this is all being seen as the problem with all the dog maulings.
with starlight and slix96. Why get a dog if you are just going to chain it up in your yard??? Doesn't make sense to me. It's cruel and they deserve to be treated better than that. I have four dogs and cannot imagine leaving them outside chained to a tree day in and day out. They need interaction. Mine crave the attention. Makes me so sad to think about dogs not getting to live inside with their families. If you don't want the dog in the house...don't get one.
I am happy to see that someone has recognized this widespread problem and is trying to do something about it. I am horrified as I drive through the county.It is simple people: if you are going to get a dog that is going to stay outside 24/7, DON'T BOTHER!! Neglect, chaining, in a kennel, call it what you want, it is all the same and unacceptable. Dogs are smart, they feel pain and emotion. You stay outside alone when it is freezing in the winter and 110 in the summer and see how you feel. Pass this bill!
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