Help Make it Illegal to Chain Dogs Outside in New York

UPDATE: The New York State Assembly has reintroduced a bill to ban the cruel practice of chaining dogs outside. Read Assembly Bill A381 here.

New York is one of 27 states where people are allowed to keep their dog companions tied up outside full-time with no statewide legal protections in place to safeguard man’s best friend.

Although some cities and local jurisdictions have passed protection laws, the failure to protect dogs at the state level leaves room for abusive dog tethering in towns and cities across New York.

According to the Humane Society of the United States, intensive confinement or long-term restraint can severely damage the psychological well-being of dogs: 

• It can cause an otherwise friendly dog to become neurotic, unhappy, anxious, and often aggressive.

• Dogs subjected to this treatment can also commonly experience physical injuries with their necks rubbed raw by their collars leaving them vulnerable to insect bites and parasites.

• Tethering is also often synonymous with neglectful care. Dogs may suffer from irregular feedings, overturned water bowls, inadequate veterinary care, and extreme temperatures with no access to decent shelter or protection.

• People who chain their dogs are also less likely to clean the area of confinement, meaning the dogs are forced to eat and sleep in an area contaminated with urine and feces.

Last year Texas took an important step to improve welfare laws for dogs with the passage of the “Safe Outdoor Dogs” Act - now we're asking New York to do the same. 
 
Five separate iterations of a bill that would make it illegal to chain dogs outside between the hours of 7 pm and 6 am have been presented to the New York State Senate since 2013. The most recent version was presented in 2023. New York State lawmakers have not managed to pass even that very minor amount of protection for dogs and now Texas has succeeded where New York has failed. New York can and should do better.

Take Action Now

Please join Species Unite in telling the New York State Senate to outlaw chaining dogs outside once and for all.