|
|
"Joe's
Law" dedicated to New Jersey Boxer who Froze to Death WILDWOOD CREST - The
borough on Monday became the latest Cape May County (NJ) municipality
to introduce an ordinance regulating the outdoor chainingof dogs. Joe's
Law is named after a boxer who froze to death over the winter after
being left chained in a yard for several days. Following the incident,
several local animal rights organizations began lobbying local municipalities
to pass ordinances regulating the chaining or tethering of dogs.
Wildwood Crest is the fourth municipality to do so. Lower Township
adopted an ordinance last month, Middle Township and Sea Isle City
haveintroduced ordinances on first reading, and Ocean City is currently
drafting an ordinance. Among
other points, the ordinance prohibits leaving a dog tethered outside
for longer than nine hours per day, an inclusion the animal rights
activists had suggested. Wildwood Crest Commissioner Don Cabrera
said that although the commission voted to introduce the ordinance,
he was hoping to make some changes before it was adopted. "I
think nine hours is too long," Cabrera said. "I'm not
sure we need to allow (leaving dogs chained outside) at all."
Cabrera said that the situation is different in Wildwood Crest than
in Lower or Middle, where many people have large lots with a great
deal of room for a dog. Because of the smaller lots on the island,
and yards backed up against each other, Cabrera said, there is a
greater possibility of neighbors being disturbed by dogs left outside. Also,
Cabrera commented, nine hours is plenty of time for a dog to suffer
heatstroke on a hot day, get caught in a thunderstorm, or even get
loose. "What if something happens while the owners are at work?
Who's going to take care of the dog?" he wondered. Cabrera
said he intends to look into the subject and possibly suggest a
stricter ordinance before the next commission meeting. "I want
an even more pet-friendly ordinance," he said. The
current ordinance states that dogs must be able to move freely when
chained or tethered and that the tether must be at least 15 feet
long. The ordinance also outlines requirements for providing food,
water, shelter and veterinary care to all animals, and states that
"no animal shall be subjected to unnecessary suffering and
cruelty." In
a section called "Duties of Citizens," the ordinance states
that any operator of a motor vehicle who accidentally strikes a
dog or cat must stop and "render such assistance to the dog
or cat as may be possible, provided it could be accomplished safely
and without danger to the motorist, pedestrians, or other motorists."
The operator is also required to report the accident to "the
appropriate law enforcement agency." The
ordinance will be taken up for second reading and public comment
at the Wildwood Crest commission meeting to be held Monday, June
14, at 9:30 a.m.
-Regina Rosenello can be emailed at rrosenello@catamaranmedia.com. |
|
Contact
Info: Dogs
Deserve Better, Inc. • P.O.
Box 23 • Tipton, PA 16684
• Toll Free 1.877.636.1408 • 814.941.7447 |
||