Radcliff, Kentucky

March 17, 2021

Dogs may not be tethered as a primary form of restraint and may not be tethered more than four hours per 24-hour period.

Section 3-17.5: Tether minimum specifications: restraint by leash, chain or collar

A. For the purpose of this chapter, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning:

DOG. Any domestic canine four months of age or older for which there exists a U.S. Department of Agriculture approved rabies vaccine.

PUPPY. Any domestic canine younger than four months of age.

B. The provisions of Section 3-17 notwithstanding, minimum standards for restraint of puppies and dogs shall be as follows:

1. It is prohibited to exclusively restrain a puppy or dog by a fixed-point chain or tether.

2. Any chain or tether must be attached to a properly fitting collar or harness worn by the animal so as to avoid causing any injury to the animal or become embedded in the animal’s neck. Any use of a chain, choke, pinch or prong collar as the primary collar is prohibited.

3. No puppy or dog shall be chained or tethered for more than a total of four (4) hours in a twenty-four hour period.

4. No puppy or dog shall be chained or tethered in an area in which temperatures are greater than ninety (90) degrees Fahrenheit or are less than thirty-two (32) degrees Fahrenheit without access to a shaded area and shelter designed or constructed to provide insulation and protection from temperature extremes in accordance with the specifications set out in Section 3-16.

5. No puppy or dog shall be chained or tethered in weather conditions such as hail, flooding rain, wind conditions, or any other weather conditions that results in harm to the puppy or dog.

6. A dog may be restrained by a chain or tether provided that the chain or tether: has swivels at both ends; does not weigh more than one-eighth (1/8) of the dog’s or puppy’s body weight; is at least ten (10) feet in length and attached to a swiveled stake, or pulley or trolley mounted on a cable which is also at least ten (10) feet in length and mounted no more than seven (7) feet above ground level; is clear of objects to avoid entanglement.

7. Any tethering system employed shall not allow the dog or puppy to leave the owner’s property.