City ordinance prohibits tying dogs to objects

(3/13/07 - TEXAS CITY, TX) -- Dog owners in this southeast Texas town could face fines up to $2,000 if they're caught tying Fido to a tree in the yard.

A city ordinance passed last week prohibits dogs from being fastened to stationary objects -- a move officials hope will stem the incidence of vicious dog attacks, which they attribute to frustration at being confined.

"It tends to give them a fight or flight syndrome," said George Fuller, director of community development, citing a study he read recently that prompted him to write the ordinance. "And if they get loose, they get aggressive with what they come across."

The ordinance, which would go into effect in May, also requires residents to give their pets at least 150 square feet of fenced-in romping space if left outside.

Dog trolleys -- long overhead cables to which leashes are attached, allowing dogs to run back and forth -- and electric fences will still be allowed.

(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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