At a work session on August 25, the City Council of Casper, Wyoming, continued its ongoing discussion on amending its animal control laws, including clarifying requirements for humane tethering. The council expressed a desire to address those who are keeping dogs in inappropriate conditions while also respecting the rights and practices of those who tether in a humane manner.
Summary:
Current law allows tethering (defined as restraining a dog to any object or structure, but not including walking a dog on a leash) when certain conditions are met. These include ensuring the dog is in the visual range of a responsible party; the tether will not prevent strangulation or entanglement; and the dog has access to food, water, and shelter. No dog may be tethered for more than two hours a day.
The council is considering removing the time limit for tethering, so long as the dog is tethered in a humane manner. Other amendments under consideration include:
- Ensuring the dog is tethered by either a non-choking collar or harness of appropriate size and strength.
- Ensuring the area the dog can reach on a tether is reasonably free from entanglement risks.
- Providing food and water in spill-proof containers.
- Providing means of escaping severe weather and temperatures.
- Keeping the two-hour time limit if the owner has a fenced-in yard, while increasing the limit to 10 hours if there is no fence.
Next Steps:
Casper dog owners are encouraged to review the proposal and amendments in the latest city council work packet (beginning on page 48), which will likely be considered at the council meeting on Tuesday, September 2, 2020. Residents who wish to comment are encouraged to reach out to the council by emailing CouncilComments@casperwy.gov.
AKC Government Relations will continue to monitor this proposal and provide more updates as they are available. For questions, contact doglaw@akc.org.