DeKalb commissioners hear proposal to ban unattended dog tethering; committee defers for two weeks

Chair Ladina Bolton opened the committee and the board took up a first hearing on a District 2 ordinance to strengthen rules on animal restraint and transportation. Commissioner Long Spears, sponsor of the measure, said the amendment would ‘‘prohibit all unattended tethering in DeKalb County’’ and would remove the current allowance for timed tethering on running cable or trolley systems.

Presenters including Sonali Sandane, who identified herself as chair of the DeKalb advisory board, told the committee the most enforceable approach is a ban on unattended tethering. Sandane said experts favor a complete prohibition because timed allowances are ‘‘ineffective and difficult to enforce’’ and described cases in which dogs kept on tethers suffered prolonged deprivation and behavioral harm. A Georgia Pet Coalition representative, Peggy, cited manufacturer warnings and public‑safety risks, saying always to ‘‘supervise a tethered dog. Do not leave unattended.’’

Lisa Millett, identified as a professor of canine welfare law and now director of animal welfare for Vermont, told commissioners tethering increases fight/flight reactions and can entrench aggression, and she said counties that passed similar ordinances did not see a flood of animals into shelters.

Commissioner Long Spears outlined the ordinance’s core changes: a clear definition of ‘‘attended’’ to permit enforcement, removal of the timed‑tethering exception for running cable/trolley systems, new minimum enclosure space requirements (scaled by weight and number of dogs), prohibitions on tethering multiple animals to the same device, and restrictions on transporting animals in open vehicles.

Commissioners focused questions on enforcement and unintended consequences. Director Fulham and animal enforcement staff said enforcement is typically based on observable conditions—injury, embedded collars or lack of water/shelter—rather than on reliably measuring how long a dog has been tethered, and that removing the 12‑hour timed provision would ease enforcement burdens. Chair Bolton and others asked about the ordinance’s effects on low‑income residents and people experiencing homelessness, noting concerns that strict enclosure requirements could force owners to relinquish animals or prevent them from accessing services.

Commissioner Davis Johnson moved to defer the item for two weeks so legal, animal control and committee members could receive a redline version that addresses definitions (including what constitutes an ‘‘enclosure’’), potential exceptions for vulnerable residents, and possible language on voice control or other non‑tether alternatives. The motion passed. Commissioner Long Spears said staff would aim to distribute a redline to commissioners by the end of the week.

Next steps: the sponsor requested the committee forward a revised ordinance to the full Board after the redline and any technical edits are vetted by legal and animal control.