Proposed Local Law No.

10 Of 2014
County Of Ulster
A Local Law Respecting te Outdoor Restraint of Co!panion
Ani!als
BE IT ENACTED, by the Legislature of the County of Ulster, as follows:
SECTION 1. LEGISLATIVE INTENT AND FINDINGS.
The Ulster County Legislature has determined that the ra!ti!e of tethering a dog
outdoors for a rolonged eriod is inhumane and resents a threat to the safety of
the dog, other animals and human beings" The Legislature has further determined
that it is in the best interest of the residents of Ulster County, as well as their ets,
to ensure the safety of all by regulating the amount of time, as well as the manner
in whi!h, a dog may be restrained outdoors"
SECTION 2. DEFINITIONS.
As used in this se!tion, #tether$ means to restrain a dog by atta!hing the dog to
any ob%e!t or stru!ture, in!luding without limitation a house, tree, fen!e, ost,
garage, or shed, by any means, in!luding without limitation a !hain, roe, !ord,
leash, or running line" Tethering does N&T in!lude the use of a leash to wal' a
dog"
SECTION 3. TETHERING REQUIREMENTS.
It shall be unlawful to tether a dog outdoors under !ir!umstan!es in!luding, but
not limited to, the following:
a( It shall be illegal to tether a dog using a !ho'e or in!h !ollar or any
de)i!e that restri!ts a dog*s ability to breath, eat or drin' or to rote!t itself
from reasonably anti!iated danger" Tether atta!hments to dogs, other than
a bu!'le tye !ollar or a body harness made of nylon or leather and are at
least one in!h in width, are not ermitted" Tethers must be free of atta!hed
weights and if lin's are utili+ed they must not be o)er one,-uarter in!h
thi!'"
b( .i( The length of a stationary tether shall not be less than ten feet or fi)e
times the length of the dog*s body as measured from the ti of the nose to
the base of the tail, whi!he)er length is greater/ shall !onne!t at both ends
with a swi)el/ shall not weigh more than 0102
th
of the dog*s weight/ shall be
free of tangles/ and shall not allow the dog to mo)e outside the owner*s
roerty"

" Page 2 "
Proposed Local Law No. 10 Of 2014
County Of Ulster
A Local Law Respecting te Outdoor Restraint of Co!panion
Ani!als
.ii( If the dog is tethered to a ulley, running line, or trolley or !able system,
it must be a minimum of fifteen .03( feet long and less than se)en .4( feet
abo)e the ground" A !ho'e !ollar or a in!h !ollar shall not be used with
tethering to a trolley or !able system"
!( The dog must be tethered in a manner that re)ents entanglement around
trees, oles or other obsta!les" The dog must ha)e a!!ess to shade, food,
water and shelter"
d( The dog must not be tethered outdoors during a National 5eather
6er)i!e issued weather alerts or storm warning" No dog shall be tethered
during snow or i!e storms or thunderstorms" Dogs should not be tethered
unless temerature is between 789 and :29"
e( The dog has a!!ess to !lean water, shelter, shade, and dry ground"
f( A tethered dog must be at least ; months old"
g( No tethered dog shall ha)e a health !ondition that would be e<a!erbated
by tethering"
h( If there are multile dogs, ea!h must be tethered searately in a manner
that re)ents entanglement with ea!h other"
i( A tethered dog shall ha)e a!!ess to aroriate shelter that will allow the
dog to remain dry and to be rote!ted from the elements" In addition to
!omlying with the re-uirements of 6e!tion 737,b of New =or' 6tate
Agri!ulture and >ar'ets Law, the shelter shall: be fully en!losed on all
sides e<!et one, whi!h side shall ha)e an oening that will allow the dog
easy entry to and e<it from the shelter/ ha)e a slanted, waterroof roof/
ha)e a solid floor" The shelter shall !ontain !lean bedding and shall be
small enough to retain the dog*s body heat, and large enough to allow the
dog to stand, lie down with limbs outstret!hed, and turn around
!omfortably" The area around the shelter shall be 'et free of standing
water, i!e and waste"
" Page # "
Proposed Local Law No. 10 Of 2014
County Of Ulster
A Local Law Respecting te Outdoor Restraint of Co!panion
Ani!als
%( No dog shall be tethered outside for more than 08 hours in any 8? hour
eriod"
'( No erson shall sub%e!t a dog to !ruel !onditions or inhumane tethering
at any time" 9or uroses of this se!tion, #!ruel !onditions or inhumane
tethering$ shall in!lude, but not be limited to, the following:
.i( A tethered dog shall not be e<osed to e<!essi)e animal waste,
garbage, dirty water, no<ious odors or dangerous ob%e!ts that !ould
in%ure or 'ill a dog uon !onta!t"
.ii( Taunting, rodding, ro)o'ing, hitting, harassing, threatening or
otherwise harming a tethered or !onfined dog"
.iii( E<osing a dog to dangerous !onditions, in!luding otential
atta!'s by other animals"
SECTION 4. ENFORCEMENT"
This Lo!al Law shall be enfor!ed by the offi!e of the Ulster County 6heriff, New
=or' 6tate @oli!e and may also be enfor!ed by any oli!e offi!er, lo!al Dog
Control or Animal Control offi!er, or humane law offi!er or in)estigator with
%urisdi!tion within Ulster County"
Any erson who )iolates the ro)isions of this se!tion shall, for a first offense, be
guilty of a )iolation unishable by a fine of A022 and1or 82 hours of !ommunity
ser)i!e"
9or a se!ond offense, the fine shall be fi)e hundred dollars and1or 43 hours of
!ommunity ser)i!e lus reimbursement of in)estigation !osts"
9or a third or subse-uent )iolation, the fine shall be one thousand dollars and1or
032 hours of !ommunity ser)i!e lus surrender of dog, if ordered by !ourt, lus
!osts of in)estigation and rose!ution" In addition, all third time offenders,
subse-uent to the ena!tment of this law, are re-uired to register as an animal
abuser at su!h time that an animal abuse registry is lawfully established"
" Page 4 "
Proposed Local Law No. 10 Of 2014
County Of Ulster
A Local Law Respecting te Outdoor Restraint of Co!panion
Ani!als
9ines !olle!ted ursuant to this 6e!tion shall be deosited with the Ulster County
Commissioner of 9inan!e, identified with a searate Beneral Ledger a!!ount
number in the 6heriff*s budget, and shall be used for animal rote!tion edu!ation
in the County of Ulster or the maintenan!e of an animal abuse registry as may be
lawfully established"
SECTION 5. EFFECT OF OTHER LAWS, REGULATIONS"
This Lo!al Law will ha)e no effe!t in a !ity, town or )illage lo!ated within the
County of Ulster that has ena!ted an ordinan!e, resolution, or law regulating the
tethering of dogs within its Curisdi!tion"
SECTION 6. SEQRA DETERMINATION.
&n Aril 82, 8202, under the authority !ontained in @art ;04"3.b( of the 6tate
En)ironmental Duality Ee)iew A!t .6EDEA(, the Ulster County Legislature
adoted a Tye II A!tion list" As lead agen!y, the Legislature hereby finds and
determines that this law !onstitutes a Tye II a!tion ursuant to 6e!tions 8"82,
8"84, and ?"8"0 of the Ulster County Tye II list, that no signifi!ant en)ironmental
ima!ts will o!!ur as a result of this a!tion, and that no additional 6EDEA
findings or determinations are ne!essary"
SECTION 7. SEVERABILITY.
In the e)ent that any ortion of this lo!al law is found to be in)alid, su!h finding
will not ha)e any effe!t on the remaining ortions of this lo!al law, the ali!ation
thereof, or on any ro)isions of the Ulster County Charter, all of whi!h shall
remain in full for!e and effe!t"
SECTION . EFFECTIVE DATE.
This Lo!al Law shall ta'e effe!t immediately uon filing with the &ffi!e of the
6e!retary of 6tate of the 6tate of New =or'"