Who is hurting pets? | The Salt Lake Tribune

This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2013, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

The Tethering of Animals bill, SB92, sponsored by Sen. Gene Davis, D-Salt Lake City, is simply feel-good, do-nothing legislation pushed by radical animal rights organizations.

The bill puts penalties on owners who tie up dogs for long periods. It would be illegal for dogs to be tethered for more than 10 hours in any 24-hour period.

Additionally, the bill adds vague and misleading language susceptible to misinterpretation by law enforcement and judges. Tethering is unacceptable, but Utah's Criminal Code already covers poor and abusive treatment of animals, making this bill a waste of time.

Immense resources will be required. To prove the law has been broken, law enforcement officers must conduct a 24-hour surveillance.

Additionally, this bill will make criminals of hitherto law-abiding citizens. Utahns who cannot abide by the law will give up their dogs, flooding local shelters with pets that once had homes and leading to increased euthanasia. Now, who is hurting dogs?

Because of bills like SB92, I volunteer for Protect The Harvest, a group created to "defend American families, farmers, hunters and animal owners from the growing threat posed by the radical animal rights movement."

Eric Whitley

Bear River City