Elmsford, New York

§ 89-13 Tethering of dogs.

A. It shall be unlawful for any responsible party to tether, leash, fasten, secure, restrain, chain or tie a dog to any stationary object outdoors or cause such dog to be restrained in a manner that:

(1) Endangers such dog’s health, safety or well-being;

(2) Restricts such dog’s access to suitable and sufficient food and water;

(3) Does not provide the dog with shelter appropriate to its breed, physical condition, and the climate as defined by Section 353-b of the New York State Agriculture and Markets Law; or

(4) Unreasonably limits the movement of such dog because the tether is too short for the dog to move around or for the dog to urinate or defecate in a separate area from the area where it must eat, drink and lie down.

B. Notwithstanding the provisions of Subsection A of this section, no responsible party shall tether, leash, fasten, secure, restrain, chain or tie a dog to any object with a device that:

(1) Is a choke collar, pinch collar, or similar collar that restrains the dog in such a manner that it impairs the flow of oxygen or blood to the dog, which may cause choking or causes substantial discomfort to the dog;

(2) Is embedded, partially embedded or may become embedded in such dog’s skin;

(3) Has weights attached or contains links that are more than 1/4 inch thick;

(4) Weighs more than 12.5% of the dog’s total body weight, not to exceed 15 pounds for any dog;

(5) Is less than 10 feet in length for a running cable trolley and 15 feet in length for a tether to a stationary object, but in no event shall the tether be long enough to allow the dog to move outside the responsible party’s property;

(6) Because of its design or placement, the tether is likely to become entangled;

(7) Would allow the restrained dog to move over an object or edge that could result in the strangulation of or injury to such dog.

C. Notwithstanding the provisions of Subsection A of this section, no responsible party shall tether, leash, fasten, secure, restrain, chain or tie a dog to any stationary object outdoors if the dog is:

(1) Less than six months of age;

(2) Sick or injured; or

(3) A nursing mother whose offspring is present.

D. Multiple dogs shall not be tethered or restrained in such a manner that the dogs are able to come in contact with one another at any point while restrained.

E. Notwithstanding the provisions of Subsection A of this section, a dog may be tethered outside for a maximum of 12 hours in any twenty-four-hour period, except that a dog may not be tethered outside when the National Weather Service has issued a weather alert.

F. Tethered dogs must be free of cruel conditions or inhumane tethering at any time. For purposes of this section, “cruel conditions or inhumane tethering” shall include the following:

(1) Exposure to animal waste, garbage, noxious odors or objects that could injure or kill a dog;

(2) Exposure to taunting, prodding, provoking, hitting, harassing, threatening or otherwise harming a tethered or confined dog;

(3) Exposing a dog to dangerous conditions, including potential attacks by other animals.

G. Nothing in this article shall be construed to affect any other protections offered to dogs under any other provision of law, including, but not limited to, the requirements of adequate shelter pursuant to Section 355-b of the New York State Agriculture and Markets Law.