From NorthEscambia.com

The Escambia County Commission has approved an ordinance amendment that now restricts how and when dogs can be tethered in the county.

It was a victory for animal rights groups and activists like Laura Catterton of Cantonment. She helped draft the ordinance amendment approved unanimously by the commission. As a volunteer for the Junior Human Society and Escambia County Animal Services, she has spent a lot of time over the past five years photographing and documenting animal tethering abuse in Escambia County. Here photos were also viewed by the commissioners prior to their vote.

“As a volunteer with several animal welfare groups in the area, I have witnessed the numerous chained, neglected dogs in the county. I started photographing these dogs five years ago so the citizens could have documented proof that such abuse and neglect take place in Escambia County,” Catterton said in a post on NorthEscambia.com.

The ordinance requires dog owners to provide a shelter large enough to stand up, turn around, lie down and stretch comfortably. Tethering of animals over six months old will be allowed, if the ordinance is approved, if the animal is within eyesight of the owner and the tethering system is at least six feet long, below 1/16 the weight of the animal and fitted with a proper collar. The animal can not be tethered during extreme weather or while it is sick.
There are additional requirements set forth in the ordinance.

For a gallery of Catterton’s photos, click here.