Grove, Oklahoma

4-105: TETHERING REQUIREMENTS:

The continued maintenance of an animal on a chain, rope or other kind of tether is abnormally restrictive and stressful and often results in health and temperament problems. In most cases, such long term confinement will cause the animal to suffer unnecessarily. Therefore, animals under six (6) months of age shall not be tethered, and animals over six (6) months of age shall only be confined by tethering under the following conditions:

A.   Direct point chaining or tethering of animals is prohibited.

B.   Cable run tethering is allowed by the following methods and restrictions:

1.   Only one (1) animal shall be tethered to each cable run;

2.   Only two (2) cable runs allowed per household;

3.   The tether must be attached to a properly fitted buckle type collar or a body harness made of nylon or leather, not less than one inch (1″) in width;

4.   Choke, prong or pinch collars shall not be used to tether an animal to a cable run;

5.   A swivel must be on each end of the tether to prevent twisting and tangling

6.   The tether shall be at least five (5) times the length of the animal’s body, as measured from the tip of the nose to the base of the tail; at no time shall the tether be less than ten feet (10′) in length;

7.   The tether shall not weigh more than one-eighth (¹/₈) of the animal’s weight;

8.   The tether shall allow the animal complete freedom to lie down or enter shelter without strain to the neck or body;

9.   The tether system shall not allow the animal to leave the owner or owner’s landlord’s property;

10.   Tethered animals shall have access to potable water, food, shelter and dry ground at all times;

11.   Overhead run/pulley lines shall be a minimum of fifteen feet (15′) in length and at  least four feet (4′) and not more than seven feet (7′) above ground level at all times;

12.   Animals shall not be tethered while sick, injured or in distress;

13.   Animals shall not be tethered when outside temperature is equal to or greater than eighty five degrees Fahrenheit (85°F) or equal to or less than thirty two degrees Fahrenheit (32°F);

14.   No animal shall be tethered to a running cable line for more than ten (10) hours in a twenty four (24) hour period;

15.   No animal shall be tethered between the hours of ten o’clock (10:00) P.M. and six o’clock (6:00) A.M.;

16.   No animal shall be tethered within five hundred feet (500′) of a church, school or daycare.