Standards for Doghouses Are Being Addressed in Tennessee - National Humane Education Society

January 23, 2023

Paws Up!

Tennessee Senator Jon Lundberg is advocating to create safer outdoor shelters for canine companions exposed to the elements.

What do dogs need to live happy and healthy lives? Does food, water, shelter, veterinary care, companionship, affection, exercise, and love come to your mind? To the average dog lover, all these things are essential when sharing your life with a four-legged, furry bundle. But there are many dogs who live very different lives with owners who subject them to abuse and neglect.

Laws to protect dogs are continually introduced throughout the United States by legislators striving to create a more humane world for them. Some laws include limiting or prohibiting continuous tethering, creating stricter penalties for committing animal cruelty crimes, and defining proper shelters for dogs.

As winter weather descends on many states bringing with it frigid temperatures, animal advocates and animal control officers caution many to remember that dogs left outside, especially those continuously tethered, are susceptible to hypothermia and frostbite on their ears, tails, and paws when exposed to extreme weather conditions for too long. Tragically, every year many dogs suffer and freeze to death due to their owners’ neglect.

A new year in Tennessee brings with it hope to pass laws to protect animals better. Tennessee Senator Jon Lundberg (R-District 4) has introduced legislation to protect dogs in his state with Senate Bill 0195. If passed, this bill will amend the current animal cruelty law by creating standard requirements for appropriate shelters that individuals need to provide for their dogs when they are outside. Astonishingly, some individuals think that a car, stairs under a porch, plastic barrel, or crate are sufficient shelters for dogs to protect them from the heat, cold, rain, sleet, snow, and other weather conditions.

According to SB 0195, approved structures need:

• to be waterproof and ventilated.
• to be made from sound/substantial material such as aluminum or steel.
• to be the proper size for a dog to stand fully, turn, and lie down.
• to be insulated to maintain normal body temperature.
• to have a solid floor that can be kept sanitary.

Take Action: Tennessee residents, if you agree that dogs left outside need better protection, please get in touch with your representative today and ask them to support Senate Bill 0195.

Learn more about ways to help keep your pup safe during winter.