Do the right thing, Raleigh

N&O:

The City Council will take up the issues of dog tethering and smoking in Raleigh parks at its meeting today.

In November, Councilwoman Nancy McFarlane requested that city staff research the possibility of Raleigh adopting an anti-tethering ordinance. The staff's report, which does not recommend a specific course of action, will be delivered to the council at the meeting.

A number of municipalities and county governments in the Triangle have already outlawed or restricted the tethering of animals. Chapel Hill allows tethers no shorter than 10 feet; Carrboro's minimum is 15 feet; and both require chains or ropes designed to prevent choking. Orange County limits tethering to three hours in a 24-hour period. Durham County and the town of Clayton both have ordinances that prohibit dogs from being tied up or chained outdoors.

Raleigh currently requires that animals be properly sheltered, but the city's ordinance does not explicitly comment on the use of a chain or tether. The ordinance does state that keeping an animal under steps, decks or stoops does not constitute adequate shelter.

Contact info for the Raleigh City Council is here. Let 'em know you want to live in a civilized part of the world.