It is now illegal to chain your pets outside for more than one hour. The Richmond City Council has passed legislation that restricts the amount of time dog owners can leave their pets tied up.             

Council members heard testimony from residents of the city as well as Virginia SPCA members encouraging them to adopt the law. City residents were on hand to give their own accounts of fighting off dogs that have gone after them as they walk by, or dogs that bark all night long.            

The new dog law has been a topic of intense online discussion for pet owners in Richmond. An individual known only as Mary posted her comments on the news blog, Hills and Heights.

 “I wonder if this means my neighbor’s dogs, who are constantly in the back yard barking at whomever or whatever walks by, and who never, ever seem to get any attention from their owners, will finally get the attention they so desperately crave,” Mary said.            

All but two council members voted in favor of the legislation. Vice President Delores McQuinn and Ellen Robertson abstained from voting. They raised two big what-ifs:

• What if people can’t afford the fees and then just release a potentially dangerous animal out into the streets?            
• What if elderly residents living alone want to chain their dog outside for protection?

Opponents of the law also said it penalize people who don’t have fenced-in yards. They said such residents have no option but to chain up their pets.            

Advocates of the law say that chaining the dog up for long periods of time without adequate shelter, space or water is cruel.

The council voted 7-0, with the two abstentions, in favor of the ordinance on Oct. 22. Pet owners found in violation of the law will initially receive a warning. Repeat offenses will result in fines.             

The first offense is a Class 3 misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of up to $500. The second offense is a Class 2 misdemeanor, punishable by a fine up to $1,000 need and from one day to six months in jail. The third offense is a Class 1 misdemeanor, punishable by a fine up to $2,500 and up to 12 months in jail.            

Some residents see the law as a step in the right direction and say city officials should punish violators. Previously, there was no chaining legislation in effect. The city’s Animal Care and Control Department said officers will be out to answer any complaints, educate people about the new law and make residents aware of the resources available to them. The SPCA has free programs with trainers that offer pet owners help with their dogs.            

An area resident identified on a blog only as Dallas said he has witnessed Animal Control out on the streets interacting with the residents violating the new law.            

“I saw a City of Richmond vehicle in my neighborhood approaching houses with dogs chained up in their front yards. I’m not sure what they said to the homeowners but it’s great to see the making the rounds so quickly,” Dallas said.