WRITE: City of Miami voting on tethering ordinance

Please forward widely

From Protect Children & Dogs in Miami-Dade, pcmiamidade [at] bellsouth.net

Sample letter and emails follow.

Very soon, the city of Miami, which is in Miami-Dade County, will be voting on an ordinance to restrict dog tethering. This is important legislation that must be passed. Please email city of Miami officials asking them to pass this anti-tethering ordinance.

Emails for city of Miami officials:

mannydiaz [at] ci.miami.fl.us, agonzalez [at] ci.miami.fl.us, msarnoff [at] miamigov.com, jsanchez [at] ci.miami.fl.us, tregalado [at] ci.miami.fl.us, MSpence [at] ci.miami.fl.us

Sample letter:

Dear City of Miami Officials:

I understand you will soon be voting on an ordinance that restricts tethering dogs in your city. This is important legislation that should be passed. Miami wants to be known as a glamorous and fun tourist destination. A dog suffering on a chain in the hot tropical sun tarnishes this image. The ordinance imposes humane conditions for tethering, including requiring people to be outside when their dog is chained.

The evidence demonstrates why chaining is cruel and inhumane, often making "vicious monsters" out of otherwise gentle and social animals. Dogs are social animals who instinctively want to be part of a group or pack. Leaving dogs chained outside makes them aggressive. The Center for Disease Control reported that chained dogs are 2.8 times more likely to bite. Children have been injured or killed by going into a chained dog's area, or by a dog who has broken free from a chain. A dog loose in neighborhoods could be one who was made aggressive by chaining.

Tethered dogs are easy targets for attacks by other animals. They are killed or injured by extremes in weather, poisoned by humans, and made sick from animal feces or bird droppings. In many cases, the necks of chained dogs become raw and covered with sores from the dogs' constant yanking and straining to escape confinement. Dogs have been found with collars embedded in their necks.

Many other places protect children and dogs by having tethering ordinances, including Fort Worth, St. Louis, Washington DC, Fort Lauderdale, Dania Beach, Hollywood, FL, Macon, Georgia and the entire States of California, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia and Connecticut. The city of Miami should pass one, too.

Sincerely,