North Little Rock, Arkansas

September 25, 2006

Dogs may not be tied to a stationary object as a means of confinement. They may be tethered to a trolley system under certain conditions.

Sec. 10-41. – Dog confinement.
(b) Tethering. Unless otherwise permitted under subsections (c) and (d), it shall be unlawful for any person to tether a dog to any inanimate object as a means of confinement.
(c) Trolley systems. A trolley system is a method to confine a dog by tethering the dog to a cable that is no less than ten feet in length and elevated four to seven feet off the ground in a manner that allows the tether to move freely along the length of the cable. Unless otherwise permitted under subsection (d), it shall be unlawful for any person to confine a dog through the use of a trolley system:
(1) Between the hours of 8:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m.;
(2) That is located within 75 feet from any dwelling other than the person owning or controlling the dog or is located in a place that allows the dog to trespass on a neighbor’s property;
(3) To which more than one dog is attached; or
(4) In a manner that poses harm to the dog including, without limitation:
a. The use of a collar or harness that is ill-fitting or constructed of any material other than leather or nylon;
b. The use of a tether that exceeds 25 percent of the body weight of the dog; or
c. The use of a trolley system in an area that contains hazards to the dog or deprives the dog of food, water, or shelter.
(d) Permit. The Director of the North Little Rock Animal Shelter is hereby authorized to issue permits to allow the confinement of a dog in a manner that would otherwise be prohibited by this section.
(1) Criteria. No permit shall be issued unless the director determines that: (i) unusual circumstances warrant confinement of the dog in this manner; (ii) the welfare of the dog will not be harmed by the confinement; and (iii) the neighborhood will not be adversely impacted by the confinement.
(2) Inspection. All permits issued under this subsection shall require consent to both scheduled and unscheduled inspections of the animal and confinement area.
(3) Revocation. The director shall revoke a permit issued under this subsection if: (i) the holder of the permit is convicted of any offense under local, state, or federal law involving animal cruelty; or (ii) an inspection indicates that the criteria authorizing the permit are no longer met.
(e) Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit walking dogs with a hand-held leash.
(Code 1980, § 7-25; Ord. No. 7860, § 1, 9-25-06)