Oklahoma Is Advocating for Tethered Dogs - National Humane Education Society
UPDATE (1/27/22): Unfortunately, HB 1580 did not pass. Thankfully, a similar bill has been reintroduced. Read more here.
February 18, 2021
Paws Up!
To Oklahoma Representative Micky Dollens for introducing House Bill 1580 to help tethered dogs.
February is helping to raise awareness about the dangers of continuously chaining dogs during Unchain a Dog Month. Many dogs throughout the United States are suffering at the end of a chain from the lack of socialization, food, clean water, appropriate shelter, and medical treatment. Thankfully, many local and state lawmakers are advocating to create a more humane world for these canine companions by passing laws (1) specifying how long they can be tethered, (2) restricting tethering during extreme weather conditions, and (3) giving requirements for appropriate shelter and the types of tethers that can be used.
Wellington was rescued from living the rest of his life on a chain
by NHES’ flagship animal care facility, The Briggs Animal Adoption Center.
Last year, Oklahoma Representative Micky Dollens became aware of the lack of laws protecting chained dogs after being contacted by a concerned citizen about a dog named Lucky. Lucky had a huge chain padlocked around her neck where a collar should have been. Lucky had a happy ending, but many dogs in her situation do not.
According to a recent news article, Oklahoma Representative Micky Dollens (D-District 93) is advocating to protect dogs who live tethered 24/7 with House Bill 1580. This bill states that dog owners would not be allowed to leave their dogs outside for more than fifteen minutes during weather advisories, watches, warnings, or other extreme weather conditions. H.B. 1580 also restricts the amount of time a dog can be tethered in twenty-four hours, describes an adequate shelter (as having three sides, a roof, and a solid floor), and gives additional requirements to keep a dog warm.
Many chained dogs suffer from exposure to the elements, attacks from wild animals or other roaming dogs, and various forms of neglect. H.B. 1580 states that any individual who allows a dog to live in “filthy and dirty confinement conditions…that could cause harm to a dog’s physical or emotional health” is practicing “inhumane chaining.” Anyone found guilty of violating H.B. 1580 may face varying degrees of punishment from a warning up to a $500 fine. The severity of the penalty depends on whether it is a first, second, or third offense. Repeat offenders may even have to give up their dogs. If passed, the law will go into effect on November 1, 2021.
Take Action: Oklahoma residents, YOU can help improve the lives of chained dogs in your state. Please show your support for H.B. 1580 by contacting your representative today!
Continuous chaining is barbaric.
What kind of a life is this? They are our companion animals and should be treated humanely
This is the humane thing to do. Thank you.
What kind of life is it for a dog to live at the end of a chain?
Did HB1580 pass . If not how can I help to get a new bill going ?
Dalita Albert
Dkalbert1984@yahoo.com
Hello Dalita,
Thank you for your inquiry. Let me check, and I will get back to you!
Yep yep. Hooray.
I was just visiting family in Okmulgee Oklahoma and passed 5 tethered pit bulls on the end of 5 foot chains in the middle of a field so sad. Dogs had no water or food in site.
Hello Rhonda, that is heartbreaking to hear about. Would you please contact animal control and ask them to do a welfare check? You should be able to do so anonymously. Here is their contact information http://www.okmulgeeonline.com/Directory.aspx?DID=7.
Hello, I’m not on here to start anything horrible but my dog is a hyper dog. He stays on a tether line all the time but he’s never unsupervised. There isn’t anything around he could get caught on. He has food and water and my neighbor took him off his line this afternoon and when I went to get him with one of my visitors that I had over she was outraged and became violent. She ended up hitting one of the guest I had over with a broom 3 times and I was doing all i could do to just get my dog he isn’t neglected what so ever. The thing is I have been researching for hours trying to find a law about someone taking your dog off a line when you had no idea why.
Ps he had a 120.00 shelter and a huge water bucket that gets dumped out every day and is fed 2 times a day and in large amounts. My husband and I work and he doesn’t like the kennel she told us that one of are neighbors want to shoot are dog and that I am breaking laws by the spca and I’m a vet tech student and I work with these things all the time and I would say that my animal is just fine I’m just wondering what I do lawfully. This has gotten way out of hand and I’m at a lost for words