Jul 7, 2005

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MEDIA CONTACT:

Ria Brown
Lee County Animal Services
(239) 432-2090 Ext. 241

Lee County Animal Services Warns About the Dangers of Chaining Dogs Following Two Deaths in Past Week!

Fort Myers, Florida, (7/7/05)-Lee County Animal Services' officials are warning pet owners about the dangers of chaining their dogs following the recent deaths of two dogs in separate incidents.  Necropsy results of a dog found dead in Suncoast Estates last week indicated that its windpipe had been crushed.  This week an animal control officer responding to a complaint in Cape Coral found a dead puppy tied to a tree.  It had become tangled on a short twisted leash. Both cases are being pursued as animal cruelty; a crime with penalties ranging from a civil fine to 5 years in jail. "The growing number of these types of tragedies brings up the question of whether Lee County should have an anti-tethering law," states Animal Services Director Scott Trebatoski.

The two cases are typical of a growing trend in Lee County.  Many dogs endure weeks, months and even years of confinement in a small area of their owners' yard.  Dogs confined outside are frequently hot, dirty, surrounded by parasites, flies, and the stench of their own feces and urine.  Some at least have food, water, and partial shelter but many do not.

The dogs are also deprived of companionship. When animal control officers ask owners why they chain dogs, common answers include, "I'm keeping him chained until he learns not to run away," or "I'm keeping him chained until he's housebroken," or "I'm keeping him chained until he calms down."  However, the chained dog suffers immense psychological damage that only reinforces the behavior that most likely resulted in his owner's decision to keep him chained outdoors in the first place.  Dogs with little or no humane contact become more destructive, more hyperactive, and more anxious to escape.

Animal control agencies and humane organizations recognize that dogs tethered for long periods become highly aggressive.  They naturally feel very protective of their territory since they cannot escape.  The Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association reports that 17% of dogs involved in fatal attacks on humans were restrained on their owners' property at the time of the attack.  Tragically, children are often the victims.

Responsible pet ownership, socialization of your pets, and training dogs that have behavioral problems are the answer  not tying an animal to the end of a rope or chain for its entire lifetime.

Additional information on proper confinement and actual case photos from Lee County Animal Services is available on Animal Services' website at www.LeeLostPets.com.  Click on the "Dangers of Chaining Dogs" link.

Lee County Animal Services provides animal control services throughout Lee County and operates an animal shelter to house stray and abandoned domestic animals.  It also administers low-cost spay/neuter programs, educational initiatives, and rabies and bite case control programs.  The shelter is located off Six Mile Cypress Parkway next to the Lee County Sheriff's Dept.  For more information call (239) 432-2083

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