Texas City bans tying up dogs

Texas City is taking a different approach to curbing vicious dog attacks: Starting May 6, tying dogs to stationary objects will be against the law. According to officials, restraining dogs makes them aggressive, which in turn can lead to attacks:

[Community development director George] Fuller, who authored the ordinance that city commissioners approved Wednesday, said he’s always thought tying up dogs was humane.

But it wasn’t until he saw a recent study that linked confined canines to attacks that he wanted to make the practice illegal.

“It tends to give them a fight or flight syndrome,” he said. “They get aggressive. And if they get loose, they get aggressive with whatever they come across.”

The ordinance allows dog trolleys — overhead cables to which leases are attached — and electric fences, but KTRK reports that it does require dogs kept outside to have at least 150 square feet of fenced-in space in which to move. Violators will be fined up to $2,000 once the ordinance takes effect.

Though some residents have called the city to complain, Fuller said more people have thanked officials for putting the new measure in place. Texas City reportedly has about one dog attack each month.