Starting January 1, 2010, Durham County citizens will no longer be able to tie their dog outside with any type of chain or runner.  After January 1, 2010, if your dog is tied out and left unattended, it could result in fines anywhere from a $50 civil penalty to taking the dog owner to court and filing criminal charges.

This new anti-tethering ordinance has been enacted to protect the dogs and the citizens of Durham. Dogs left tied out can be at risk of many things, such as accidental choking or injuries from being entangled. Improper tie outs can result in dogs breaking the tie out and becoming a nuisance or danger to neighbors and other animals, getting lost, injured, or even killed. Lack of human contact when dogs are tied out can lead to loneliness for the dog and even dog aggression.

For you as a dog owner it means you will need to provide some other way of keeping your dog on your property.  We hope you will choose to bring your pet inside, but we realize this may not be the best solution for your family. If you must keep your dog outside you will be required to have a fence. The minimum requirements for the fence are:

•  100 square feet for a dog under 20 pounds (10 x10 pen)
•  200 square feet for a dog over 20 pounds (10 x 20 pen)

These dimensions are for each dog so for example if you have 2 dogs less than 20 pounds you will need twice the square footage.  You also have the option of having an underground fence system professionally installed.

Animal Control strives to help the citizens of Durham County with their animal concerns. If you have any questions regarding this new anti-tethering Ordinance please call us at 919 560-0630.