Sir: Re: proposed bylaw to promote responsible pet ownership.
I believe Chatham-Kent’s animals are no different than Windsor’s animals. The proposed new bylaw does not reflect this. Windsor has a four-hour limit on tethering animals, and Chatham proposes a 12-hour limit. That is outrageous. I would not even call that a “limit.”
Also, the bylaw focuses on tethering. A dog left in a fenced-in backyard is exposed to exactly the same cruelty as a tethered dog. Their water dish can freeze or spill. They are exposed to the same elements whether it is extreme cold or blistering heat.
And why are cats suddenly ‘second-class citizens’? Don’t they too deserve protection under this bylaw? In my area, irresponsible pet owners frequently let their cats out and head off to work, leaving the poor thing shivering on a windowsill all day or all night.
If we really want to promote responsible pet ownership, this bylaw seems to be lacking in addressing the obvious. It is just tweaking a previous bylaw. Let’s take this opportunity to tackle this issue once and for all with a bylaw with some teeth to it.
Carmen McCauley
Chatham
