Denison, Texas

Sec. 4-18. – Restraint of dog (tethering).

(a) Allowable restraint of dog. An owner may leave a dog outside and unattended if:

(1) The dog is restrained in a manner that does not violate subsection (b) below;

(2) The dog is restrained in a rear yard.

(b) Unlawful restraint of dog. It shall be an offense for an owner to:

(1) Leave a dog outside and unattended by use of a restraint, unless the owner provides the dog access to:

a. Adequate shelter;

b. An area that allows the dog to avoid standing water and exposure to excessive animal waste;

c. Shade from direct sunlight; and

d. Food and potable water.

(2) Restrain a dog outside and unattended by use of a restraint that:

a. Is a chain;

b. Has weights attached;

c. Is shorter in length than the greater of:

1. Five (5) times the length of the dog, as measured from the tip of the dog’s nose to the base of the dog’s tail; or

2. Ten (10) feet; or

3. Is attached to a collar or harness not properly fitted.

(3) Leave a dog outside and unattended by use of a restraint:

a. Within five hundred (500) feet of the premises of a school, unless the restrained dog is within an approved enclosure of a rear yard which is capable of preventing the dog from running at large (approved as determined by the city manager or the city manager’s designee); or

b. In the case of extreme weather conditions, including conditions in which:

1. The actual or effective outdoor temperature is below thirty-two (32) degrees Fahrenheit;

2. A heat advisory has been issued by a local or state authority or jurisdiction; or

3. A hurricane, tropical storm, or tornado warning has been issued for the jurisdiction by the National Weather Service; or

(c) A person commits an offense if the person knowingly violates this section. The restraint of each dog that is in violation is a separate offense.

(d) An offense during this section is a class C misdemeanor, except that the offense is a class B misdemeanor if the person has previously been convicted under this section.

(e) If conduct constituting an offense under this section also constitutes an offense under any other law, the action may be prosecuted under this section, the other law, or both.

(f) Exceptions. Section 4-18 does not apply to:

(1) The use of a restraint on a dog in a public camping or recreational area in compliance with the requirements of the public camping or recreational area as defined by a federal, state, or local authority or jurisdiction;

(2) The use of a restraint while the owner is engaged in, or actively training for, an activity that is conducted pursuant to a valid license issued by this state if the activity for which the license is issued is associated with the use or presence of a dog;

(3) A dog restrained while the owner is engaged in conduct directly related to the business of shepherding or herding cattle or livestock;

(4) A dog restrained while the owner is engaged in conduct directly related to the business of cultivating agricultural products, if the restraint is reasonably necessary for the safety of the dog;

(5) A dog left unattended in an open-air truck bed only for the time reasonably necessary for the owner to complete a temporary task that requires the dog to be left unattended in the truck bed;

(6) A dog taken by the owner, or another person with the owner’s permission, from the owner’s residence or property and restrained by the owner or the person for not longer that the time necessary for the owner to engage in, or actively training for, hunting or field trialing.

(g) Section 4-18(b)(2) does not apply to a restraint attached to a trolley system that allows a dog to move along a running line for a distance equal to or greater than the lengths specified under that section.

(h) A person is not prohibited from walking a dog with a handheld leash.