Dog owners could go to jail for chaining dogs too long (Sout

Senate panel weighs chained-dog fines

COLUMBIA — Dog owners would face jail time and fines if they keep their pets chained outside for too long under legislation a Senate panel discussed Wednesday.

Pet owners who tether a dog to any stationary object for more than three hours in a day could be fined up to $500 and sent to jail for up to 60 days, according to the proposal. A third offense would be up to two years in prison and a $2,000 fine.

The panel took no action on the bill Wednesday. The amount of time pet owners can chain their dog is expected to be increased to eight hours or a standard used in Texas, which prevents chaining dogs outside between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m.

Even the legislation's most ardent supporters embraced the looser limits.

"Once people start interacting with their dogs, they come into the house," said Alicia Schwartz, who is pushing the legislation for Dogs Deserve Better. With no law on the books, she says any change would be a good start.

Sen. John Hawkins chairs the Senate Judiciary subcommittee handling the bill and wants a tougher law.

Hawkins expects the bill will be sent to the Senate Judiciary Committee after a second hearing next week.

http://www.charleston.net/news/2008/jan/31/xgrbfs29195/

I think this is a bad idea. While yes it is sad that there are dogs on chains that never get any attention. This hurts the responsible people as well. If something like that passed here, I'd have to get rid of some of my dogs.

Jean I agree. So they don't want the dogs chained at noght, so it is better to have them all in tiny crates all night. Mine are in crates at night so I am not knocking at all, but being in a small space is not going to be any better than them being on chains were they are free to drink and go to the bathroom.