1. No tethering: AAS feels that it is important for dogs to not be tethered at all. People who chain or tie up their dogs in their own yard do it on a regular basis as a way of controlling/ignoring their dog. Dogs can easily get accidentally entangled in their tether or are unable to escape a frightening situation. AAS is not asking for a by-law to prohibit casual tethering, for example while a person is in a store or temporarily for the dog’s safety.
2. Garage/shed dogs: Some dogs live their entire lives in a garage or shed. They are usually also tethered or sometimes caged in the garage or shed to keep them from damaging the car or tools they are protecting by their barking. Although these dogs have shelter, they still suffer from a lack of a minimum standard of care because they are shut out from their ‘family/pack’, often have no sanitary place to sleep and often lack proper veterinary care. Their plight is perhaps the saddest of all. Their lives are often spent not only with no company or stimulation, but almost entirely in the dark. Therefore, AAS believes that it is important for the bylaw enforcer to have access to garages and sheds if there is reason to believe that a dog lives there for a substantial part of its life.
3. Pen Size: Sometimes dogs are penned outside while the owner is at work. AAS does not believe it is acceptable for dogs to be left in pens all day where they still suffer from the isolation that makes them anti-social and which pens are almost invariably dirty with feces. But we don’t expect at this time to ban penning and so we ask for humane guidelines for this. AAS would like to see a by-law that states than a pen must be at least 200 square feet and that the length of time a dog can be isolated in a pen be limited to one four hour period a day.
4. Muzzling: Dogs whine and bark when they are lonely and are neglected by the humans they count on to take care of them. Muzzling a dog to prevent it from making its needs be heard is inhumane and barbaric. Muzzling a dog has the same effect as chaining. It is an irresponsible way to control a dog's natural behaviours instead of appropriate human interaction and socialization training. It's the lack of responsible pet care that forces a dog to whine and bark incessantly.