Ormond Beach, FL - The second reading of a city ordinance setting limits on tethering animals is scheduled for tomorrow (May 7) night's Ormond Beach City Commission meeting. Zone 3 Commissioner Susan Persis is leading the charge, saying the law would benefit people and pets.
Persis brought the issue before the commission before she was elected last November. She said she was encouraged by a similar law passed in July in Ponce Inlet that prohibits tethering pets unless certain conditions are met.
Ormond Beach's law applies only to tethering pets and not to using leashes for exercise. There are 15 conditions in the ordinance. Here are a few: tethering is banned between sunset and sunrise; the tethered animal must be within eyesight of the person responsible for it, if it's outside, it can be left unattended for up to 30 minutes; clean water and dry ground must be provided and shelter for protection from the weather - it can not be tethered in extreme weather conditions; the tether must allow the animal to walk freely or move about in a circular manner and can't be so heavy that it causes excessive strain or stree on the animal; and the animal must be aleast 6 months of age and not sick or injured.
Under the new law, tethering would be considered animal cruelty and violations would be considered a Class 3 offense. Lawbreakers would be fined $200 for a first offense and $400 after that.
No one spoke against the law at its first reading on April.
Persis said she plans to meet with Volusia County Council Chair Ed Kelley to discuss a countywide ordinance. She said if that gets approved, she'll reach out to state lawmakers to press for a statewide law.
The city of Bunnell passed an anti-tethering ordinance last year, the first in Flagler County
