Where the Dog Is Tied

By Tali Lavie

March 28, 2006

	Part of the scenery

Many dogs meet their death chained in a yard and forgotten, without shade or water. Tali Lavie believes it is time to legislate laws that will ban tethering dogs for long periods.

"Y" was horrified to see the daily suffering of "Bill," the neighbor's puppy. Tied by a chain to an iron bar, and injured from an encounter with a cat who entered the small space where he was confined, "Bill" looked thirsty and depressed. For many long hours, no one came to check whether he had clean water, so no one discovered his new bloody scratch, either. It had been a long time since anyone played with him.

"Y" chose to not remain indifferent to the sight of the pitiful dog. First, she addressed "Bill's" family members, urging them to be more aware of his needs. With marked disdain, the family members dismissed her efforts and sent her away.

For lack of another option, "Y" turned to the police. Two policemen explained to her that they could do nothing, but promised that if the dog got beaten one day, they would investigate the subject thoroughly.

Frustrated, she decided to go against the law and take an extreme action, smuggling "Bill" out of his prison. Because she knew many hours would pass before anyone would check on the puppy, she had plenty of time to become friendly with him. After "Bill" got to know her well enough, "Y" released him from his chain, took him to her car, and transferred him to another house, far from the small circle in which he was miserably confined every day. Gradually, "Bill" started to raise his head and look around. A few days later, he realized he had gained a new life and a few reasons to shake his tail.

"Y" acted in a very problematic and illegal manner, while the family that kept "Bill" tied on a chain theoretically committed no crime. Without justifying the drastic action, one can say that she actually had no option that was both legal and moral.

The dog becomes a part of the scenery in the garden

In Israel, as opposed to some other countries in the world, chaining dogs is not restricted or forbidden by law. The law obligates us to look away and try to repress the sad sight, an approach most of us, the law abiding ones, take daily.

We all once thought this was the right way to raise a dog. The kids ask, so we get a puppy. When he grows a little, we tie him in the yard, next to a doghouse, and that's it. Everything is in the right place. The kids are happy and the house has a loyal guard.

The day I heard that a "watchdog" who belonged to a family in an adjacent town died because of dehydration, and that the family discovered his lifeless body only many hours later, I told myself that this specific family was irresponsible and that this kind of thing doesn't happen often. Those were the days when my innocence protected me from the widespread, bitter reality.

A few months later, on the street where I grew up, a tethered dog jumped over the fence, got hung by his leash, and died. I think this was the first time I, the neighbor's daughter, really became conscious of the possibility that we were all wrong.

As an adult, I became more aware, and I started noticing small details: on the way home from school, I observe that the energetic puppy accidentally turned the water bowl upside down with his leash on a day that is "warmer than usual for the season." And even though he has a little shade, he still looks really dehydrated.

Another day, I find out that after many hours, the dog got entangled with his leash, shortening the leash to the point where he can neither move nor reach his food and water bowls. He is totally helpless, and he starts to get mad.

The kids prefer to play near the dog, but far enough away so he can't touch them because he jumps up when they come close, and that is scary and unpleasant. The dog becomes more and more frustrated. Sometimes the dog is just forgotten, and he becomes a part of the scenery in the garden.

Limitation on tethering dogs

By nature, dogs live in packs. For the dog, the family members who walk on two legs and have no tail are his pack. When the life forced on the dog is one of isolation and restriction to a confined territory, he becomes irritable or apathetic. The endless barking, acting without restraint when a person comes close, and the helpless, depressed gaze are only a few of the common symptoms seen in dogs tied up for long periods or indefinitely, symptoms that indicate their terrible suffering.

Nowadays, it is clear to many that the life of a chained dog is a miserable one. Living in the center of Tel Aviv, it is easy to forget that this sad phenomenon of tethering dogs exists in the first place, but looking at other cities and towns, there is a clear picture — many dogs still spend their lives tied to an iron bar.

Many cities throughout the world have learned from the past, and acknowledge that chaining dogs is not humane. In fact, many cities, including Los Angeles, prohibit tethering dogs. In California, a clause in the law permits tethering dogs only for the time it takes to complete certain tasks, like repairing a fence, but the law also clearly specifies the proper manner of tying a dog during this short period of time.

For example, the length of the leash has to be at least three times the length of the dog, and the leash must be tied to a harness on his body, not to a collar. The leash has to be secured to prevent dogs from getting "entangled" with it. In addition, the dog has to have access to water and, if necessary, to shade.

It is possible for Israel also to ban tethering dogs by law, or for the court of justice to determine that the existing laws prohibit it. Meanwhile, local authorities who care for citizens walking on four paws should take steps similar to many other cities in the world, and introduce restrictions about chaining dogs.

At the very least, regulations should limit the number of hours a dog can be tied in a day, set minimum requirements for the space in which a dog is to be confined, require that the leash be tied to a harness, and other basic restrictions. That is not enough, but it is a beginning.

Article reprinted courtesy of NRG.