Council amends ordinance on tethering animals

The City of Guthrie will be cracking down on pet owners who tie their animals up outside around the clock.

It will soon be unlawful to tether any dog or cat unless it is constantly supervised by an adult.

The Guthrie city council voted 6-0 r to prohibit the act of tethering animals.

Tethering means that an animal is tied with a rope, chain or other device so as to restrict the animal’s movement, according to the Guthrie Police Department, who overlooks animal control within the city.

The department added an Animal Control Officer may grant exceptions.

Animals are not to be tethered by using chains or prong collars. Tethering of an unsupervised animal any time the temperature is not between 35 and 85 degrees is prohibited.

City Manager Leroy Alsup says the ordinance will be more complaint driven.

“We’re (City) not going to start driving the streets looking for tethered dogs,” Alsup said to the council members. “This will be more complaint driven than us enforcing, but when we are made aware of an animal is being kept in an inhumane situation this will give us the authority to take action.

The new ordinance goes into effect on July 16.

Additional language of the ordinance:

Exceptions do not absolve the responsible adult of certain responsibilities, such as: preventing the animal from being tethered during weather that may threaten the health or well-being on the animal; ensuring the tether is attached to a harness or collar; ensuring the tether is of adequate length so as to provide the animal with access to water, shelter and a reasonable exercise area; ensuring the tether is not subject to entanglement with other objects that in any manner which may cause injury or be of clear discomfort; and, ensuring that the weight of the tether is not an undue burden to the animal.