Tethering or chaining under most laws means that a person ties an animal (typically a dog) with a rope or line to a stationary object.
Typical anti-cruelty laws do not effectively address cruelty issues with tethering. While Washington State is one of only twenty three US states with laws that limit or otherwise control how owners can tether their dogs, the law is not enforceable.
A law that makes tethering illegal would allow officers to quickly respond and take action. However, tethering is a complex issue that intersects with cruelty and neglect, animal aggression, and social equity.
Our Findings
Ineffective Laws, Reports Increasing
Concerned citizens can call the Seattle Animal Shelter to report tethered dogs. Officers may investigate the situation but they are often unable to do anything as they don’t have the resources to monitor a single house for 24 hours straight to determine length of tethering and whether the animal is being given fresh food and water.
Confinement calls into Seattle Animal Shelter have steadily increased since 2016*.
* Except for 2020, where we observed a 24% decrease in all animal cruelty complaints and investigations due to the COVID-19 lockdowns.
Tethering & Aggression in Dogs
Issue Intersectionality
Our Recommendations
Time Limitations are Vital
Washington State law requires animals only be tethered for a period of time that is “not reckless,” which is open to interpretation. More recent laws restrict the number of hours a dog can be tethered within a 24-hour period. For instance, in Oregon it is no longer than ten hours, and in Massachusetts that limit is no longer than five hours.
Establishing a time limit can make the law enforceable.
Extreme Weather Needs Consideration
Vague Language Hurts