LI-DOG Praises Huntington’s New Anti-Tethering
and Scoop-the-Poop Laws
Recommends Four Changes to Clarify Town Code and Improve
Public Safety
In public comments at a Huntington Town Board Meeting on Tues., July 12th, LI-DOG praised the Town for its effort to protect the welfare of animals by proposing new laws to regulate the tethering of dogs outside for long periods of time. The new law, part of an effort to revise and improve the Animals section of the Town Code, would limit the amount of time dogs can be tied up outside to 2 hours, requires that dogs be provided with food and shelter, and prohibits the use of devices and equipment that can cause pain and suffering in such situations. “As animal lovers, it’s hard to understand why any animal is ever subjected to abuse and we are grateful that Huntington has joined other jurisdictions, including Suffolk County, in seeking to limit this practice and make it more humane,” said LI-DOG President Ginny Munger Kahn
LI-DOG’s President also commended the Town for proposing a law that will allow officers to take immediate action to rescue dogs left unattended in hot cars.
The Town also is clarifying and strengthening its pooper-scooper law. LI-DOG said it welcomed efforts to require people to immediately pick up after their dogs and properly dispose of pet waste. LI-DOG strongly believes in protecting the environment and everyone’s enjoyment of public spaces by requiring people to scoop-the-poop.
While noting that the Town has done excellent work on the Code revision, LI-DOG recommended four modifications to the Code that it believes are important to clarify the law and protect public safety. Most importantly, LI-DOG proposed that the rule that people “curb” their dogs—that is, take them into the street to do their business—be modified. Requiring dog owners to put their dogs in the street and then follow them into the street to pick up is dangerous not only to dog owners and their dogs, but to drivers. Other jurisdictions have modified their rules regarding “nuisances” by getting people off roadways and out of harm’s way. LI-DOG recommended that Huntington do the same.
LI-DOG also recommended that the Town clarify the section that deals with “menacing” by dogs, saying it was concerned the section was open to misinterpretation; that the Town carve out an exception to the running-at-large prohibition for its off-leash area(s); and that the section dealing with choke collars be clarified to prohibit their use when a dog is tied to a stationary object.
LI-DOG thanked Huntington Councilman Mark Cuthbertson for asking for LI-DOG’s input on the legislation and commended the Town for taking these important steps to improve the welfare of animals. “We look forward to moving these important changes that will protect animals forward,” said Ginny.
To read the press release from the Town about the proposed changes, go to News Details – Town of Huntington Website.
To read LI-DOG’s comments on the Revisions to the Animals section of the Town Code, go to LI-DOG Statement Huntington Code Revisions and Recommendations