Nassau County is cracking down on unattended dog or cat tethering.
The county used to approve of tethering animals for up to 12 hours.
That's no longer the case for pet owners. If you're going to tether your pet, they must be visible to you or the person responsible for them.
Nassau resident Susan Sellner tells Action News Jax she used to volunteer at a local humane society. There she says she saw how some animals became victims to tethering.
“Their collars, so ingrown into their necks that you wonder how they could even breathe,” said Sellner.
Protecting the animals is paramount to Sellner and others in Nassau County. Commissioner Justin Taylor says feedback from the public influenced the commission.
“We were able to determine that there were a lot of animals living on a tether outside," said Taylor.
"Which can cause aggression. As well as, some of these animals may not be properly cared for, and could cause harm to themselves.”
“Dogs are pack animals. They need to be around other animals and they need to be around people.” - Susan Sellner is glad Nassau County is cracking down on tethering. @ActionNewsJax @WOKVNews pic.twitter.com/K3BBGNArdW
— Ryan Nelson (@RyanANJax) June 12, 2018
When speaking to Action News Jax, Taylor said the 12-hour rule was sometimes difficult for officers to enforce.
In a draft of the county's new ordinance obtained by Action News Jax --- we learned “welded metal chain link” or “logging chains” may not be used to tether an animal.
The ordinance also has an exemption. According to the document, the rule doesn’t apply to a “bona fide farm operation.”
Sellner still thinks it’s a step in the right direction.
“Dogs are pack animals," said Sellner. "They need to be around other animals and they need to be around people.”
Fernandina Beach passed its own ordinance outlawing unattended tethering prior to Nassau.
Cox Media Group
