Burke wants to limit dog tie-ups to 2 hours

Chicago Sun Times ^ | March 2, 2006 | FRAN SPIELMAN

[george76]

Chicago dog owners who tether their pets for hours on end without food or water would be reined in -- with a two-hour limit -- under a crackdown proposed Wednesday by the City Council's most powerful alderman.

"If dogs are tethered in this way, it makes them more likely to bite humans and makes them mean," said Finance Committee Chairman Edward M. Burke (14th).

"It's a question of cruelty to the animals. It's a question of responsible care of animals. If people own pets, they ought to treat them responsibly."

The Burke-championed ordinance introduced at Wednesday's City Council meeting would establish a two-hour time limit on tethering, with fines ranging from $100 to $500 for each offense.

In a blitzkrieg of proposals, Burke also took aim at the sale of gift cards, used cars and meat ...

[D.P.Roberts]

Yep, whenever I want to know anything about dogs I just ask a politician.

[Abathar]

""If dogs are tethered in this way, it makes them more likely to bite humans and makes them mean," said Finance Committee Chairman Edward M. Burke (14th). "

So he wants them to run lose so they can bite people outside the yard or what?

[tom paine 2]

Ed burke must not have anything important to do like clean up the rank corruption in the Daly democrat party

[Abathar]

Get a stopwatch if you own a dog in Chicago now...

[D.P.Roberts]

"In further news today, Eddie Burke, the world's greatest expert on everything, enlightened us on gift cards, used cars, meat and how dogs think."

[GeorgiaDawg32]

so now people can sue the city of chicago in addition to the owner of that pit bull that had to be released??

[ahayes]

I'd prefer to have them fenced. Chaining a dog up does make it more aggressive to passer-by if it has those tendencies to begin with.

[Terpfen]

"If people own pets, they ought to treat them responsibly."

Can't argue there, stupid as this idea is.

[Abathar]

In other words if you come home and there are chalk marks on the side of your doghouse you know the meter-maids are on to you.

[colorcountry]

I thought you were talking about dog knots. I've never seen one last TWO HOURS!

[CharlesWayneCT]

So will they do this like they do cars, by painting lines on their paws and seeing if they moved in the last two hours?

[CharlesWayneCT]

You beat me to it.....

[Abathar]

If its a big dog a chain is better than a fence, my chow can jump a normal fence without breaking her stride if she wants, and a lot of people don't allow fences because of deed restrictions too.

[Abathar]

GMTA

[Ditto]

Hell, let the dogs run free. Not much chance of getting bit by them. It's these damn run-a-muck politicians who should be chained up since they always end up putting the bite on everyone.

[george76]

Can he find something important to worry about...like the underfunded City of Chicago retirement plans ?

[ahayes]

Too bad.

A chain contributes to aggression by frustrating the dog. It can see someone walking by on what it considers its territory, but it can't run them off because something holds it back. If there is a physical barrier it doesn't seem to aggravate them as much.

[george76]

Are they going to install dog parking meters ?

[george76]

Burke will hire thousands of his new, best friends to be dog watchers.

[Mcirrus]

Are they going to install dog parking meters ?

They'd have too, probably would look something like this

[Hildy]

I kind of agree. If you can't properly take care of an animal, if you don't have the time, or the space or the money, you shouldn't have a pet, because they take up all three.

[MineralMan]

"Hell, let the dogs run free. Not much chance of getting bit by them. "

Good idea. If they run free, they can come in my yard, where they're subject to my rules: Loose pit bull in my yard = dead pitbull. One less gangsta dog to worry about.

[george76]

LOL.

[george76]

The Vietnamese will apparently take care of any loose dog problem.

[taxesareforever]

It's a question of responsible care of animals.

To many, it is no different than child abuse. Barf bag please.

[Always Right]

Two-hours is way to long for a dog to play tetherball anyways.

[ncountylee]

The Vietnamese will apparently take care of any loose dog problem.

Hey...don't dis the Cambodians, Koreans etc. by omission.

[Old Professer]

No law should be enacted that is obviously onerous to enforce absent a defined enforcement plan.

I have three dogs, a fenced backyard and a fenced courtyard, they sleep in the house.

[SnarlinCubBear]

I agree with him. Dogs become aggressive, and frankly I would too if tied to a tree w/o food/water or companionship. Some folks just should not own animals.

When i see a tethered dog, it's just about all I can do to stop myself from freeing him. I know it's none of my business, but it's just not right to treat animals the way some are treated.

[Ditto]

Loose pit bull in my yard = dead pitbull.

Don't I know you from that sidewalk meat market in Saigon?

[Abathar]

I won't say there are people out there who have no business owning a dog, there are a lot of people who fall in that category. But I don't think its right that if you are having your carpet cleaned, or having guests over for dinner and put your dog out in the back yard for a while that your neighbor can complain and get you a serious $$$ ticket either.

(I had neighbors from hell for a few years, if they could get me fined for something like that they would call 911 so fast it would make your head spin.)

[GovernmentShrinker]

The article isn't clear on exactly what the law would probibit. If it's only tethering without food or water for more than two hours, as the first sentence says, then it's a very sensible law, both on animal cruelty grounds, and because as the legislator points out, desperately hungry dogs are much more likely to attack. Prohibiting ANY tethering for over 2 hours is absurd.

[joesnuffy]

How much are they going to pay the dog tie up police to stand around and time dog owners..

And as for them having food and water....if I put food down for my dog...he will eat it

So how do you have food down for a dog that wont eat it right away..and cause you to violate the food & water rule...

[beltfed308]

In a blitzkrieg of proposals, Burke also took aim at the sale of gift cards, used cars and meat

Pretty fitting.

[lastchance]

In this case he is correct that dogs that are tied up for long periods of time are more likely to be aggresive. I might be because the dog lacks socialization because of the minimum contact it has with its owners.

[george76]

Sounds like Burke wants to manage everything and every person...all the time.

He looks like a socialist.